Alice Blackout
by psycheLLe06
Summary: Natsume and Mikan are married and in the US as FBI agents. Mikan had put the whole world in an "Alice Blackout" and she's the only one who can dispel it. But now, she's missing. Where is she? What'll Natsume do? What'll happen to the alices now?
1. Intro & Summary

**~ ALICE BLACKOUT ~**

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**Character Introduction**

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**Michelle O'Brein –**A woman of 28-years of age, and more widely known as **Mikan Sakura**. She lost her memory and was being targeted by people she doesn't know, but knows what they want. They want her _dead_. She was now in a cat-and-mouse chase with her _killers_ with an agent who claims to be her husband. She was trapped in a world of her own without memories to guide her but with instincts to survive.

**Paulo Arcenal**— An FBI agent with a distinct Spanish accent, known in his Japanese name as **Natsume Hyuuga**. He's assigned to save a woman's life. His _wife_'s life, to be exact. Being separated with her for the past two years, Natsume doesn't want to get involve with her again. But who else can he trust to trust his wife's life that once has been dramatically attempted to be killed.

**Wade Jenkins**—a key member assigned too in a task force assembled to protect Michelle and catch the killer. Gabe's best friend and 'boss' in this assignment, he is a man Mikan doesn't trust that much. His real name is **Ruca Nogi**.

**Ashley McGyver**—an ATF agent with more than a professional interest in Arcenal. She helps in Mikan's file case. She's also an alice that holds the power of an extraordinary womanly strength.

**Alexandra Sparks**—Mikan's bestfriend and the only person, aside from Natsume, that can help her and knows the same secret that Michelle has that had put their lives at stake. Commonly known in her mother country as **Hotaru Imai**.

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**Story Summary**

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The Alice Deities agreed in a decision that no one had ever imagined that will occur. The whole world was under a spell, or rather, under an Alice spell. It causes that all the Alices in the whole world will loose their powers, temporarily. For just about 3 years. This is for their experiment's sake, and for the sake of the whole Alice community all over the world. An _Alice Blackout_. Mikan was the one who made this spell, making her the only one who can dispel this. Greedy Alices are now hunting her for her to break the spell for their own good. Mikan's now in grave danger. Who can help her now that she knows _no one_. _Nothing._ But worry no more! To help her, she still has her friends, relatives, superiors and… her husband?

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	2. Mission 01

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Alice Academy.

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**Mission Part 01**

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Mikan realized she was being murdered.

She regained consciousness, but to her surprise, water was all around her. Cold, deep, dark water. And she was _under _these waters.

Terror shot through her. She frantically tried to swim but with no avail for her hands and feet were tied together. Water gushed into her nose and mouth. Her throat clenched. There was no air to breathe in. It hurt. Her chest pounded as if it might shatter.

Someone had definitely put her in there. But who? She could just see in her mind a milky image of a man on the bridge above these waters. No face. No name. Just someone who obviously want her dead.

She sank lower and lower, inch by inch. Time was running out. She could just surrender and lie at the bottom of this water, dead. But hell, no, she can't die. Moreover, she doesn't want to die. She wouldn't give up. She couldn't. _No God, not now._

She twisted her body, using her last breath, to stop her downward slide. She failed. She felt dizzy and felt the mud beneath her feet.

Just a split-second later, she hadn't realized a man diving towards her but felt his firm grip around her waist. Right now, this man's grip to her was all she had for her life.

They reached the surface and the man carried her to the muddy banks. And then, he kissed her. At least, that was what she thought he was doing until she felt the air gust into her mouth. No. Not a kiss. Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

"It's okay," the man said. "You'll be alright."

He untied her from being like a prisoner. Every few seconds or so, his gaze darted around them as if watching for something.

Not something she realized. _Someone_.

After all, the person who'd try to kill her could return and finish his job.

She didn't have time to react to that terrifying realization. Her teeth began to chatter. Her body shook with coldness. She's wet allover and her head throbbed in pain. She's in real pain. But at least, she was alive. Because of this man, she was alive. Too bad she hadn't caught enough breathe yet to thank him.

The man leaned over and examined her forehead. It gave her a little time to look at him directly. Did she know this face? Does she know him?

No.

He's a stranger for her.

"You saved my life," she managed to say.

He wiped away bits of water from her face with a light, gentle touch, letting his fingers to linger in her cheeks.

"Yes I did." He mumbled something else but she hadn't caught it.

"Who are you?" she asked.

Something she couldn't distinguish rifled through his eyes. "What the devil do you mean by that?"

"I'd like to know your name, mister," she clarified.

He sat back on his heels and glared at her. "Just what kind of sick game are you playing, huh?" he retorted. "Believe me, it won't work." With each word, he got louder. "I want answers. I _deserve_ answers."

"I'd like some answers, too. For starters, please tell me who you are."

"Paulo," he answered.

No. She didn't recognize that name. She shoved her fingers through her hair to push its wet strands out of her eyes. She gave him a puzzled look.

"Paulo Arcenal," he added after a moment. "But you know that. And you know what that means."

Still nothing. But some part of her feels that she _should_ know her. But still, nothing. It doesn't ring a bell. _Weird_. "Well, thank you, Mr. Arcenal, for saving me. For a moment down there, I thought I was going to die."

He sat there as drops of water slid down his face. He seemed to be oblivious to her. Everything around her is _oblivious. _Then, the man stared at her. His gaze made a huge impact on her. _But what?_

"That's certain if I hadn't been here," he agreed with her. "Someone shot you. When that didn't work, they clubbed you and threw you in the lake."

She gasped; horrified that someone would do such terrible things to her. "Someone shot me?"

"Seems like it. It's just a graze, but combined with that lump, you'll probably have one heck of a headache."

She nodded. She can feel it right now. The pain's like a fine whetted knife that slices easily through her skull. _Sure this is one heck of a real headache. And there's more to come, that's certain._

"Who did this to you?" he demanded. "Who tried to kill you?"

He seemed to be angry with her, and she didn't know why. Worse, she didn't know why things didn't make sense. Who had done this to her? Why was she in the water? And who was this stranger who expected her to have all the answers?

"I don't know." She touched her forehead. When she drew back her hand, she noticed the watery blood on her fingertips. She was injured but didn't know how it'd happened? _God, how could I not know that?_ "Did you see anyone before you jumped in after me?"

"Just a car speeding away. I couldn't make out the license plate." Vigilantly, he looked around them again. "When I saw the air bubbles on the water, I dived in."

Thank God he did. That, without a doubt, had cost her life. "Where are we?"

"Lake Pontchartrain." His narrowed gaze came back to her. "Are you trying to make me believe you really don't know?"

She glanced at their surroundings. All she saw was a sun setting on an ordinary lake. Nothing more. Nothing looked familiar. "Are we near Houston?"

"Houston?" he spat out. "We're just outside New Orleans."

Sweet heaven. Even with a multiple choice, she wouldn't have gotten it right.

"You honestly don't remember?" he asked.

"No." It was the only answer she could give him that she's certain.

"All right. Let's try something easy. What's the date?"

She tried to concentrate. "Is it June something?"

He blew out a long breath. "Not quite. It's August nineteenth. Okay. Here's a question nobody gets wrong. What's your name?"

She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Absolutely nothing. Her mind was a complete blank.

He was stunned. "You don't know your own name?"

She shook her head, trying to will away the dizziness that had started to overcome her. "I have no idea," she told him. And she means it.

She was already in panic. This was the moment that terrified her the most. She doesn't know anything. Not even her _own_ name. What's happening on Earth now? She looked up to the man infront of her. He stared back at her with his dark, suspicious eyes filed with questions. Questions that she knew she couldn't answer. _Is it a dream? I don't even know myself! That's ridiculous! This must be a dream. Yeah. This is just a dream. A bad dream…_

So, with the taste of the muddy lake still in her mouth, she closed her eyes and let the 'dream' take over.

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Voices woke her. She can't hear their words clearly, but she can tell that there were three voices. Two male and a feminine one. They were using hushed tones, but you can easily tell that they're arguing.

She forced her eyes open. The pain stabbed through her head. She felt groggy, almost like drunk, but still managed to see the trio in the nearby doorway. There was Arcenal, an attractive woman with pinned-up dark hair and a tall blond man.

The other two wore business suits. No suit for Paulo. He had faded jeans and a plain white T-shirt with a shoulder holster that had a pistol sticking out of it. There was a cellular phone attached in his belt. She glanced down at her on clothes. Someone had dressed her in drab green surgical scrubs. And she was on a gurney.

"Looks like not an ICU," she said to herself. "Or an emergency room either."

It looked more like a huge medical supply storage room. There were metal shelves crammed with boxes. There was a window but the blinds were closed. She couldn't tell then whether it's night or day.

Then she heard the woman spoke. This time, she can hear them clearly. "That's what you have to tell her."

Arcenal shook his head. "I won't."

"This isn't a request, Paulo. It's an order."

"I know. But I won't." He mumbled something under his breath. Mikan only caught the _Jesucristo_ part. "Hell, she almost died in my arms."

Now, Mikan lifted her head and positioned her body to sitting. "Who are you people?"

The three looked her way. She studied each person with their expressions.

She definitely doesn't trust the blond man, yet, she couldn't say why. The woman was no ally either. She didn't know what to make of Arcenal, but since he saved her life, she would choose him if she was to choose sides.

"Better yet," she amended when none of them answered her, "who am I?"

Paulo Arcenal walked towards her. He was tall, about over six feet and muscular. His biceps strained against the cotton T-shirt. He had ebony black hair that was neatly crumpled. When he got closer, she saw that his eyes were a blood-crimson red. _Scary, but still… good._

"You still don't remember who you are?" Arcenal asked her.

"No. Why is that? What's wrong with me?"

"You took a hard hit in your head. It might take a while for everything to come back."

She touched the bandage oh her head. There was indeed a lump beneath it. That was no doubt the source of her vicious headache. "I have a concussion?" she asked.

Arcenal nodded. "And a few stitches in your forehead and on your ankle where the rope abraded your skin. A doctor had examined you and said that the memory loss have nothing to do with your head injury. In other words, no brain damage. He said it was caused by emotional trauma."

"Dissociative amnesia," she softly added. "How long will it last?" she asked but was scared for the answer.

"The doctor's not sure. Could be hours. Days."

"Or I might never regain my memory," she provided, "…ever."

She lowered her head and tried to absorb that fact. But she couldn't. And she _wouldn't_, which is for some reason she don't know. Nothing's helping her. She wants answers. And damn, she wants all of them, _now_.

"What's my name then?" she asked Arcenal, for as of now, he was the only person there she trusts.

"Michelle O'Brein," he answered immediately. "But maybe, I should also tell you your _real_ name. Mikan Sakura."

"What d'you mean by that?" she was really unaware of anything. "I have several names?"

"Just two," he assured her. "Michelle was your American's and Mikan was your Japanese one. The real one was the second one."

"Why was that? I'm Japanese?" she asked, but deep inside her, she knows she is indeed Japanese. "I don't think Japanese people must change names to become American citizens."

"It's for security purposes, _mi amor," _Arcenal made her know.

"It doesn't make sense. I need to be secured?" she asked again but didn't wait for anyone's reply. "Where am I now?"

"A private clinic near New Orleans."

So they hadn't left the area, she figured herself. But this is no ordinary clinic, that's for sure. "Are you cops?"

"No."

"Am _I_ a cop?"

The room went deadly silent. "No," the blond man finally answered.

Mikan, or Michelle, didn't like the hesitation. It sent a wave of panic through her. "Am I a criminal then?" she asked as she braced herself for their answer.

The blond man took a step forward, placing himself slightly ahead of others. He patted her shoulder. "You're not a criminal."

She allowed herself a short breath of relief. Then settled again for business. "Since my questions might go on forever, why don't you just tell me who you are?"

The three glanced at each other before the blond man spoke again. "I'm Wade Jenkins. They call me 'Jinx'. Real name: Ruca Nogi. Arcenal and I are working on the FBI. Agent Ashley McGyver is an agent of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms—the ATF."

This Ruca, or Wade, had deep-blue velvety, tantalizing eyes that seems to be kind. But still, she can't trust him. And she _won't_ trust him, at least, that what her instincts tell her.

"You two don't have any _security _name?" she asked particularly to Arcenal and to the woman.

"Mine's real. I'm not Japanese. Full-fledged American here. Just call me Ashley," the woman answered for herself. And Mikan can say that she really is an American. She offered nothing for Arcenal's identity. Mikan looked at Paulo then.

He instantly knew what she wants. _Real_ answers, that is. "Special Agent Paulo Arcenal. Real name: Natsume Hyuuga."

"Hmm… Two Japanese Agents and an American one. FBI, ATF…" she sorted out in her head. "What about me? Am I sort of an agent, too?"

"You're a concerned citizen," Ruca, or Wade, told her. "An ordinary citizen with a rather larger problem."

"As I can see now, I can tell that I'm facing a larger problem than I can handle. Now, who am I? Aside from being a _concerned citizen, _where do I work? Do I also work on agencies with initials?"

"Nope. You work at a bookstore in Austin, Texas."

"A bookstore?" A _bookstore. _That couldn't be right. She can feel it. It doesn't fit in her.

No one elaborated more on that. "Exactly what do you remember about being in the water?" Ruca asked again.

_A good question_, she thought. Too bad she didn't have good answer. "Not much other than that Agent Arce— err… Hyuuga, saving, and saved me. Before that, all I could remember was struggling and sinking deeper."

"Any idea who put you in the lake?"

She thinked deep. Nothing. "No. I have no idea. I have an image of someone on the bridge, wearing light colored shirt. I don't suppose that helps you anyway."

"You're right, no." Ashley answered in a frustrated huff. "But your amnesia is only a part of the problem. This might be over. But don't forget the possibility of someone trying to kill you, _again_."

Mikan swallowed hard. She hadn't considered that. Yet. Amnesia or not, she still has her own _instincts_ and _common sense_.

Mikan turned gaze to Paulo. "Who wants me dead?"

He lifted his shoulder. "We don't know."

"God damn! Can you just tell me what my problem involves? What—"

"The less you know, the better." Ruca interrupted.

"Maybe, that's the way you look at it, Agent Wade. But I see it in a little different way than yours. Someone tried to kill me, and I think, as a _concerned citizen_, I have the right to know why!" she retorted back.

"He's right about this, Michelle," Paulo spoke up. "Even if we told you anything, it wouldn't make you any safer. That's why we'll provide you protection."

She shook her head, already objecting. "Now, wait a minute. I don't even know any of you and you want me to place my life into your hands? What assurance do I have that you're not the one who tried to kill me, huh?"

"That doesn't make sense," Arcenal answered her, as if trying to cool her down. " If we wanted you dead, I wouldn't have pulled you out of that lake."

"But those two didn't pull me out!" She pointed to Wade and Ashley. "The way I see it, I'm in a real mess in here. What if some secret's trapped in my head, and you want me around just long enough to get it? What if you kill me the minute I tell you what the hell on Earth you want to know?"

Agent McGyver threw her hand up in the air. "I give up! Let me know when you can talk some sense to her."

Mikan was about to answer her back when Natsume broke in. "You can trust me, Mikan." The offer had not come effortlessly. _He just called me with my real name_. It came with a scalpel-sharp glare.

"Why? Just because of the fact that you saved my life?"

He didn't answer, but a moment after, Ruca did. "Not just that, _mi señora_. You can _fully_ trust him because of the _fact_ that Special Agent Paulo Arcenal a.k.a. Natsume Hyuuga is your _husband."_

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**Author's Note:**

Thank You for Reading!!

So, how'd you like it?? Please give me your comments. Good or bad, i'll accept it.

And i'll make a poll for this story which is my first story..

For my reader's taste's sake.

So, please tell me which do you prefer?

Teenage lovey-dovey scenes or a little bit more matured romance?

My readers will decide which one they want to read from me and i'll gladly make them for you.

Again, Thank You Very Much.

:)


	3. Mission 02

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Alice Academy.

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**Mission Part 02**

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Natsume could almost feel her gaze crawl all over him. He braced himself for the storm that he was about to face. There would be tons of questions from his _wife_. No doubt about it.

"My _husband_?" she repeated.

He nodded but didn't add more than that. The details of their marital status were among a mile-long list of things Paulo doesn't want to discuss with her. Too bad he's in a situation that he's obliged to tackle it. She has amnesia. He needs to inform her from the day of her birth to present. And he's the only one there to do that.

"Is it true?" she asked. "Are we really married?"

He sat down to a chair near Mikan. There's no point on standing infront of her since this interrogation might take on forever. "I'll tell you if you'll answer me first truthfully. Is this memory lost all an act?"

"No. Of course not. And why would I do that?" she was helpless. "Maybe unless I have a reason to act like that I don't remember anything that I should. You tell me."

"_No tengo ninguna idea con respecto a eso,_" he answered in Spanish, testing if her wife's skills are still there.

('_No tengo ninguna idea con respecto a eso'_ means 'I have no idea regarding that' in English.)

"_Le dije I don' ¡t recuerda cualquier cosa!_" she blurted out back at him.

('_Le dije I don' ¡t recuerda cualquier cosa'_ means 'I told you I don't remember anything!')

It didn't even take her a second to think of what to answer. Mikan gasped. She was surprised herself that she had spoken another language. "I can speak _español_?"

"You've heard yourself, haven't you? So you've lost your memories, but not your skills." Natsume thought for a moment. "Quite good for us."

"Well, you haven't answered my questions." Mikan was irritated.

"Am I your husband?—Yes, afraid so. You're not happy about that?" Natsume asked teasingly.

"The jury's still out. I don't know if I'm happy or not since I don't even know you." Her thoughts are overlapping in her head. "So how long have we been married?"

Ah, a test! He knew it. "Four years, six months." He paused, thinking. "And eighteen days."

He could have given her the hours if she'd asked for it. _Damn!_ Paulo cursed himself. It didn't please him that he can recall something so painful in detail.

"That long," she mumbled.

Yeah, that long. And almost half of those years, she'd been gone. And now, here she was—right back into his life. This very woman near him turned him down and hung him dry. He didn't want any dose of that, _again_.

She continued to stare at him as if sizing him up. She took a glance at his hand. She checked for hands too. "Why isn't either of us wearing a ring then?"

Hell. The woman could certainly open old wounds. Natsume pulled the neck chain out of his shirt so she could see a simple gold band that it held. "I'm left-handed, and it catches on the holster whenever I held the gun out. I'm not sure where yours is. Maybe it slipped off in the lake."

She tilted her head down. Where could her ring be? She'd lost the most precious material thing that symbolizes their love, if there really is. _He should be mad at me by that._

"I have to go," Agent Wade announced. "I need to update our people about thing here. Paulo, you wait here with Michelle."

At that point Mikan knew that Ruca was Natsume's boss for this case. For _her_ case.

"I should head out, too." Agent Walters added after checking her watch. She elbowed Agent Arcenal. "Don't do anything you shouldn't do with your wife here, Paulo. You're in danger."

"_We're_all in danger," Natsume reminded her back. "I'll walk this two out. Wait here. Stay put." He commanded Mikan as he headed towards the door.

"_Stay put,"_Mikan mimicked him. "As if that I have other choice here!"

"Yes, there aren't any, _pequeña mujer._" Natsume answered back.

('_pequeña mujer'_means 'my lady')

"Hey, I told you to be nice to her. You need to gain her trust, again." Ruca reminded his agent.

Paulo wanted to laugh. But he only let out a small chuckle. "I maybe one of the best agents in this field, but I'm not a God, Wade. I don't perform miracles."

"No, but you will do your job."

Ruca's words had hit him like a heavy-weight's fist. "And what do you exactly mean by that?"

"It mans that you'll protect her no matter what while we catch the bad guys. You'll be staying with her and not let her out of your sight until further notice," his boss let him know.

"It means that I'm a bodyguard? Not an agent here?" asked Natsume sarcastically.

"Yeah, and not a husband either," Ashley piped in.

Wade nodded in agreement. "But still, you're her husband. You might as well as mix your husbandly worries with your duty to make it stronger, ne? Just don't do what you shouldn't do. You know what I mean." he let him know.

"Oh, I'm not even sure that the woman I married is the woman in that room."

"We all know that you're sure she is. You're just not sure if she's still she, after all those years."

"Yeah, whatever."

_If only I got another assignment other than this, I might consider my job 'perfect',_ Natsume thought. These two people heading out are going to leave the two of them _alone_. It means he'll have to stay with his _wife_ longer. And maybe, _forever._ Forever with a wife he didn't want. And forever with a wife that doesn't like him either. But regardless their relationship, she's still a woman with a killer after her.

_Damn._

He'll just do whatever his superiors order him. It's _just_ a job. A new assignment. That's all. All he needs to do is keep her alive, catch the bad guys, get on the root of this case and he's out of there. _Forever?_

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Mikan waited for the three to be out before she stood up. Her head and ankle ached. Her whole body ached. Pain was all over her. Her vision was no good either. Blurry. Like at the muddy lake. She headed at the only door other than the door out. The bathroom.

The bathroom was enormously filled with laundry things beside the laundry chute. She can tell that it is indeed a clinic. But she can't hear any traffic noise from outside or some sounds associated to a clinic. Extreme silence was covering the whole area. But what just is this place? Maybe a private clinic for the FBI, she guessed.

Now, just what did the FBI and an ATF agent want from a bookstore clerk from Austin? Perhaps there was a shoplifter at their bookstore and she headed for the police. _Hell, no_. If that's the case, she's obviously more than just a concerned citizen.

She finished her business in the bathroom when she noticed the mirror above the sink. She approached it cautiously; afraid of what she might see in her own reflection.

Disappointment soon replaced cautiousness. She didn't recognize a thing about herself. There's only a face of stranger in the mirror, staring back at her.

She studied her face harder, wishing to see a much more familiar feature. She was pale. She wondered if it's from trauma or just her natural color. Maybe, a combination of both. The skin surrounding the bandage was bruised. Someone really had hit her good time.

Her features weren't prominent. Average. Her hair was cedar-colored, but since her roots were light brown, she figured that she wasn't natural redhead. She leaned closer to the mirror, suddenly puzzled by her eyes. One was dark brown; the other, pale green. She automatically reached toward the green eye and removed the colored contact. So, her eyes were really wood-brown, and since she could see perfectly without a contact, she guessed that she used it for cosmetic purposes.

But why?

Colored contacts. Dyed hair. She'd disguised her appearance. It made sense. Perhaps she'd been hiding because someone wanted her dead. Too bad, the disguise didn't work.

Then, she noticed a scar. A puckered dimple in her right forearm. It appeared to be well healed, but she thought it might be a bullet wound. But maybe that's just her imagination. But this sight caused her stomach a sickening feeling. It was yet another chilling reminder of her past she couldn't remember.

She felt her head ache again and headed back to the gurney. A moment later, Natsume entered the room with a large disposable cup in each hand.

"Coffee," he announced. "I thought you might want your caffeine to rise now."

Michelle didn't know that, but the steamy brew smelled wonderful. "I'm a big coffee drinker?"

He nodded and glanced at one cup and then to the other, apparently trying to decide which one was hers. He finally took a sip from one and grimaced. "Yours," he let her know and handed it over. "Three sugars, just the way you like it."

She took the cup, knowing she would indeed like it. Odd. Why had sugary coffee felt familiar and not her husband?

As she'd done to her face in the mirror, Michelle scrutinized Paulo's. Actually, he wasn't bad-looking. His skin was a pale bronze. And his eyes. Oh, those piercing, bloody- beautiful eyes! All in all, it was a good mix that he has on his face.

"Is the coffee alright?" Natsume asked her, waking her from her thoughts.

"Oh, it's fine. So, you know how I like my coffee—that still doesn't mean I believe everything you've told me." Placing her cup on the table beside her, she glanced at her ring finger and noticed a faint line. Not necessarily from a wedding ring. But it was possible.

"Did I have any ID on me when you pulled me out of the lake?"

He stretched out his legs so he could work his fingers on the front pocket of his jeans. He fished out a single key. "This was tucked under the floor mat in the car. It had your fingerprints on it."

"It's for a car?"

Arcenal shook his head. "You left your key to your rental car in the ignition. This looks more like a house key. Is it familiar?"

"No." It's just a normal key to her. Maybe for her house in Austin, she guessed. "You didn't find a wallet or a purse on me or in the car?"

"I think the person who tried to kill you probably took it."

That was possible, which made her wonder if the attack was robbery related. But she didn't think so. She probably wouldn't be in an FBI agent's care if it'd been a simple robbery.

Mikan glanced at him. So far, he'd cooperated with her questions. Well, some of them anyway, but she had no way of knowing if what he'd told her was the truth or even part truth. Heck, she wasn't even convinced that the man was truly her husband.

"Why didn't you kiss me when you pulled me out of the water?" she asked. "If we're really married, wouldn't a kiss have been the husbandly thing to do?"

It happened so quickly, she didn't have time to protest or wonder why she'd issued such a stupid invitation in the first place. Then, the next thing she knew was Natsume slipped his hand around the back of her neck and angled her head. His mouth came to hers. Touched. Brushed. And lingered.

The kiss was hot and clever. Slightly rough and a heck of a lot longer than it should have. It certainly wasn't a husbandly peck. It had a sleek veneer of all sorts of emotion, including some anger, but that didn't quite cover up the pure, raw attraction that sizzled beneath.

When he finally set her free, there was no doubt in Mikan's mind that she'd been kissed by someone who knew how exactly how to do it. Specially, to do it to her.

Paulo looked deeply into her eyes. But it was a 'Natsume' that she can see, but don't know why.

"Remember me now, _mi vida_?" he drawled, his tone was a sensual hush.

Actually, Michelle didn't, but she thought she might _like_ to remember him. Too bad that kiss muddled her brain more that it already was.

She pushed him away and looked toward the window. There wasn't any to see there, but it was better than he, seeing her blushing face.

"Look, I may not know who I am, but I'm not stupid," she said crisply. "Other than the obvious thing of someone trying to kill me, something isn't right."

"Funny, it felt right to me." When her gaze came to his, he rubbed the pad of his thumb over his bottom lip and flashed a grin that set her teeth on edge.

"I didn't mean that kiss. There has to be a reason why I have all these crazy feelings." Mikan aimed her finger at him when Natsume started to speak. "And I'm not talking about your mouth on mine. Why won't you tell me what's going on here?"

"You'll be safer not knowing," was his simple reply.

"I didn't buy that from Wade, and I won't buy it from you. I could regain my memory in the next minute, and if I follow through with the asinine theory, I'll be in more danger that I am right now. Somebody wants me dead, and I don't think they care if I have amnesia or not."

He nodded eventually. "Okay, I'll give you the condensed version."

"Why not the whole thing?"

"Take it or leave it? It'll only make you more confused and that won't help for you to sort things out." He didn't wait for her to agree. "To start things, you're an Alice."

"A what?"

He explained the basic things about Alice and told her about her Alices. She has 3 main alices: Nullification, Steal and Copy, and with her last two alices, she had other numerous alices that Natsume cannot name all.

"So, I have magical powers?" The thought of it fascinated her and scared her at the same time. "How about you? Are you an Alice, too?"

"I am. So does Agent Jenkins and Agent Walters. Almost 90 percent of America's Agents in all agencies are alices." And with that, he didn't let her to ask about their own alices, for there was no time for introdution again. He continued explaining."You're the only one in the entire world that has the possession of your _Alice Trio_, making you the most powerful among all of us."

"Wait, wait, wait!" she interrupted. "The _most powerful_ Alice in the world does not work for a government agency, where she could be very helpful at any aspect and is always in a _bookstore,_dusting the shelves?" she asked him sarcastically.

The corner of Agent Arcenal's mouth kicked up. "Okay, that thing that Wade said to you was a lie. You were working somewhere else, and don't bother to ask me where exactly 'cause I won't tell you and I won't tell you anything if you interrupt me again."

Michelle wasn't happy that she's only getting a summarized report and not the whole _truth_. And still, she's absorbing all the things she could, for that's the only thing she can do, as of now.

Paulo had almost just barely opened his mouth to start explaining again when—

_Beep, beep, beep._

His cellular phone rang. He fished it out and pressed some buttons and the sound stopped. He read a secret message that looks like this:

**- 4 NEM GNIHCAORPPA SDRAWOT EHT CINILC. EB DERAPERP. PILS TUO FO EREHT WON. -**

He automatically got into his feet and sprang up to the door as he fished out his pistol into his left hand.

Michelle's heart began to pound. She hadn't thought of another threat to her life this early. She had her last encounter not a day ago. Those guys do really want her dead. Immediately.

"What's wrong, Paulo?" she asked while getting to her feet.

He motioned toward the window. "See if anyone's out there."

She did as he told her, ignoring the stitches on her heels. It was dark outside and they we're several floors off the ground, but she managed to see what was there. There were six cars in the parking lot.

"Nobody," she reported. But still, her eyes won't still leave the cars. Suddenly, four men exited one of the cars. "No! There are some bodies. There are four of them."

"Watch the door," he ordered and they switched places so he can glance down the parking lot. "We don't have much time to get out of here swiftly."

Mikan, now panicking, turned the doorknob and took a step to the other side of the door when Natsume grabbed her in the arms.

"We can't go that way for that's the first way they'll make it to us."

"You're not suggesting we use the window either?" she asked as she slightly lifted her ankle to show him her bandaged wounds.

"No. They probably left someone to take care of us if we try that, too."

Michelle felt a chill climb up to her spine. _Is there no way out?_"So, how'd we get out now?"

He didn't answer. Instead, he got a box from one of the shelves and pulled out a gun. It looked even more deadly than the one he's been holding. He checked to make sure if it's loaded, and it was. Then, he thrust it to her hands.

"What—" but she didn't have time to complain more for he is now dragging her inside the bathroom. He held open the laundry hatch with his elbow and swung his legs to the opening.

"I'm going down first," he told her. "Count to ten and follow me unless you heard a gunfire. If that happens, barricade yourself here and shoot anyone that who comes through that door. And I_mean_ anyone. I don't care even if it's our ally. That's my order. Understand?"

She nodded and examined the gun. "Do I know how to use this?"

"You know." He climbed to the duct. "Now, let's hope you remember."

She hoped for the same thing. "Let me guess—I learned hoe to fire guns like this at the bookstore?"

He flashed her a dry grin and ignored her question. "There's no safety on that piece. If necessary, aim and fire. And Mikan? This time, do as I tell you."

Before she could ask what he meant by that, he let himself drop. She kept her gaze on him until he disappeared into the tunnel.

"One," she started to count.

She stood there thinking of all the possibilities that may happen there, at that very moment. If anyone would come inside to attack her, she wouldn't know what to do, that is, unless, as Natsume said earlier, is she _would_ remember how to use such a deadly weapon. She didn't know if she should trust the man she's been talking to seconds ago. But she also hasn't got anything to be against him. He's her only hope of survival right now.

"Ten," she mumbled when she heard hurried footsteps in the hallway on the other side of the wall.

She climbed into the laundry hatch and let herself go. Moments later, she heard gunshots, but it was too late to stop her downward slide. She was headed straight toward those deadly shots, and there was nothing she could do about it.

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**Author's Note:**

**Thank you for reading!**

**Did you like it?**

Well, anyway, I do really apologize for not updating this story for a long while now. I just had started my third year high this month, making me busy as ever. *laugh* But I'll be exerting all my efforts and free time in making this story faster.

Anyway, I really do appreciate for any comments, reviews, suggestions and anything that you may want to tell me. Feel free to say it out loud, my reader.

And another thing, if there's anyone in this planet that has the same names that I have used as the Gakuen Alice's characters new name, these are all purely coincidental. I just made those names up through my playful imagination. And again, feel free to approach me regarding this.


	4. Mission 03

**Author's Note:**

I do not own Alice Academy.

**:...:**

**:……:**

**Mission Part 03**

**:…..:**

**:…………:**

Mikan saw Natsume even before she landed. He was behind a concrete post a couple of feet away from the laundry chute. He was holding his pistol with both hands and every inch of his figure states that he's ready for anything.

"Take cover!" he yelled, but with the spray of bullets, it almost felt like a normal tone to Mikan.

She torpedoed out of the chute, quickly rolled over the side of the bin and dropped. She landed in an unladylike sprawl on the cold, solid floor.

"I said take cover! Now!" he yelled again, getting impatient, and _worried_.

She was certainly trying to do that. But her body wouldn't cooperate. Her wounds and swelled muscles are another factor for her clumsiness. And by the sound of bullets, she must calculate all her movements for her not to catch one of them.

Should she try to get to Paulo? she wondered. Even with the obvious danger of someone shooting at them, she still considered it a better option than being on her own while she didn't know what to do.

From her position, she couldn't see him now. There were more laundry bins, washing machines, industrial-size dryers and rows of metal gurneys. From that narrow view of hers, there were many places a gunman could hide. _Too many_. Besides, she didn't even know how many gunmen are there. There were four of them earlier, and some of them are up there, in the clinic room. So, just how many were here shooting at them?

Another option popped into her mind. What if she called out to Paulo and ask him what to do? But with that, she might give away her position and force him to give his. He probably wouldn't appreciate that risk. No. She must think of another, and _fast_.

"I'll take that," a man behind her snarled. He snatched the gun from her hand and pressed it to her head.

She was horrified. It wasn't Paulo or any FBI or ATF agents. Someone else, one of the gunmen, no doubt. _How could he come so close without me realizing it?_ She hadn't heard a thing. Of course, with the bullets flying all over and her heart pounding so loudly, she was practically deaf.

Now, relying purely on instinct, she stabbed her elbow into the man's stomach and quickly spun around. Now facing the man, she used all her force and rammed the heel of her right hand into his Adam's apple. She followed it with a left-handed jab to his jaw. He hissed and staggered back.

Now, Mikan saw him clearly. And there's no doubt, he's one of the men in the parking lot moments ago. There were no emotions in his mud-colored eyes. Just a strong and deadly aura. He latched her neck and roughly twisted her so her back was against his chest.

"Quit fighting me," he warned as he shoved the gun harder to her temple. His voice was raspy and very unfriendly. With his tight arms gripping her neck, she could have just died with that if it was a little bit tighter.

"Let's do this the right way," the man yelled across the room for Paulo. "Depending on what you do, I can make this easy for her, or I can make it slow and much more painful. You choose," he demanded. "Step out to where I can see you, _Kuro-Neko_!"

She was a bit puzzled. _Kuro-Neko?_ But there was no time to be more confused than she is now in her situation.

She wasn't sure of what will Natsume do. That is, until she heard of a thud of his weapon drop to the floor. The next thing she saw terrified her the most this day. Natsume stepped out from behind a post and walked towards them with his hands tucked behind his head.

_God, he's surrendering!_ All of Mikan's hope vanished into the thin air. Her heart started to pound harder. She thought Natsume would at least try to save her or buy some time, but he hadn't. Instead, he is now infront of them, surrendering.

"Who are you working for?" Natsume asked the gunman.

"No one's willing to bargain with you."

"Aww, come on! Before you say no to my proposal, might as well you to know that the woman that you're holding has plenty of money. I'm sure we can work out some financial agreements that'd make it profitable for you to let her go." Natsume spoke as if that he's just in a small chit-chat with a new friend.

"Save your breath," the man retorted. "I've got no plans to be a rich dead man. All I need is for you to cooperate. I need you both alive; that is the first option. But if things don't work out as we planned, I might as well just present your corpses to 'em; it wouldn't matter"

Now, Mikan looked staraight at Natsume. There was a slight lift in his right eyebrow, and she recognized something in his eyes, but she couldn't tell what it is. It's just like he's trying to _communicate_.

Then, in a move that seemed both in slow motion and at a speed not humanly possible, Natsume's left hand whipped out from behind his head. He held another gun that he'd hidden. Something small and sleek. Gabe aimed the gun directly at her.

She had no time to think, no time to react. She briefly, very briefly, considered that Natsume and his gun would be the last thing she'd ever see. But what she couldn't figure out was why he wanted her dead, especially after he had saved her.

Paulo double-tapped the trigger. Then—

_BANG!_

_BANG!_

Michelle felt splatters of blood into her cheeks and waited for the pain or numbness to follow what was certainly a fatal head wound.

But that, to her surprise, _didn't_ happen.

Instead, the man behind her loosened his arms and the gun that he's been holding against her temple clattering to the floor.

With that, her hand began to shake violently. She still kept her focus on Natsume, afraid to blink for she feared that he'd disappear before she could get into him.

But she didn't even need to walk to him. It was Natsume who approached her, and even before he was infront of her, he grabbed her in her shoulders and hugged her tightly. It was so tight that Mikan had gasped but she hugged him back, too. They hugged each other as tight as they can, with Mikan weeping madly now. Natsume laid his head into her right shoulder, uttering some assurance to her. "You're safe now, you're safe. Don't worry-- oh, no, don't cry now. Stop. It's alright now."

They broke their embrace. Then, Mikan looked up to him to see if he's also alright. Much to her surprise, her lips were now on his. He kissed her deeply, but very quickly. It was just like a smack that means of assurance. She didn't complain about the kiss for that she knows she _needs_ it this time. She's really frightened and that kiss made her realize that there's a Natsume and an Agent Arcenal always there for her. And it really gave her assurance.

Without breaking her grip on his arms, he picked up the gun that he left on the post earlier and placed the smaller one into the slide holster on the back waist of his jeans. He handed Michelle back the gun that the man had taken from her.

"There's no need for you to see that. Come on now," he said, referring to the body. They headed toward the door, Natsume supporting Mikan's fragile body to walk.

He's right. There was no reason for her to see the man's body but she still took a glance back at it. Paulo had literally shot the man right between the eyes. The other bullet wound was only a fraction of an inch above the first one. With this sight, she pressed her hand to her stomach, hoping not to get sick.

"He's dead?" she asked unnecessarily.

"He's dead."

"You could've shot me."

He slightly rearranged his expression, apparently insulted. "I wouldn't have missed. Not ever."

Michelle prayed that he'd never have to test his accuracy again. "Well, thank you. That's twice you've saved my life."

"Don't thank me yet. We're not out of danger. We have to get away from the first."

She silently agreed: one man was down, but there were at least three others who would probably be willing to do what their comrade had tried.

Paulo stopped when they reached a large metal door at the end of the room and turned to her. "Here are the rules. Stay behind me all the times. I want us back to back, moving together. Got that?"

"Yes, I think so."

"Rule two—you watch our backs, and I'll take care of anything that comes from any other direction." He pointed at Michelle's gun. "By any chance, do you remember how to use that?"

She eyed the weapon as if it was a foreign object. "Maybe."

"All right. If you have to shoot, you have to hold your gun level and brace your wrist with your left hand. That's a lot of firepower, and I don't want you dropping your weapon when you feel to recoil. Shoot to kill. Understand?" he asked but he didn't wait for an answer. He spun around so they were back to back now. He eased open the door and peered into the parking lot.

"All right. Let's go," Paulo said. "Remember everything I've told you."

How'd he expect her to shoot someone skillfully knowing that she even didn't know her own name? she asked herself. Maybe she'll just go lucky and her instincts will kick in when she needed to shoot. Then, a thought came to her. What if she'd killed someone before? God, it's so awful that you can't remember anything, specially, something that you've done that's bad.

They slipped trough the parking lot without making a single noise; not even a thud of a footstep. They saw the shadows of the other gunmen on the window that Mikan presumed that it was the clinic. But these people seem not to notice them slip away, and so, they just did.

A little bit of later, they've reached the ground's block fence. It was full of climbing vines and low shrubs. Natsume looked at the very top of it, as if estimating how tall it was.

"Oh no," she interrupted him with his calculations. "you don't mean by that look that we'll jump over this block, ne?"

"Hn," was his short reply. "But you've got a point there. I was thinking of getting a ladder or a rope, but as I can see with your ankles and bruises, jumping _maybe is a better idea_," he said with a smirk.

Only a split-second had passed and Mikan was scooped by Natsume and is now carried by him like a rag doll. Mikan was on his right shoulder and he still held the gun at his left then slightly bended his knees; making a position for springing up high in the air.

"No! Please—don't! You can't! I might fall Natsu—"

"Hold on tight now," he said to her as he forcefully pushed his legs off the ground and they leapt. Very smoothly, the landed on the other side of the wall with the same position before they left the other side. Natsume caught now Mikan's waists and landed her swiftly.

"What the—"

"Hush now!" Natsume commanded in a low but strong voice. "Remember? You must do as I say!"

Mikan fell silent. She knows that she has to obey this man in order to survive in this kind of situation.

Natsume now walked a step or two into a large shrub nearby. He swayed some grasses here and there then finally revealed a motorcycle. An unexplainable fear gushed trough her spine with just the picture of a motorcycle. You can say that it was brand new for it shone off brightly against the moonlight and it's one of the latest models out in the industry now. She trembled inside.

"We're riding that?" she asked in a frantic whisper.

"Do you suppose that I'll carry you on my back while we run escaping from here?" he answered back a sarcastic question.

He slipped his gun back to his holster. He slightly dusted the leather seat of the bike that caused the dried leaves on it to fall. "Keep your weapon on handy. We might just need it before we can make some distance from here," he ordered without looking at Mikan for he was busy checking for any tracking devices attached to the vehicle.

She nodded to herself, silently agreeing with him. But the fear that sizzles beneath her still won't leave. "Do you have helmets?"

"Well, can you see any?" he answered her again in a question. He looked at Mikan and he saw how her eyes spell her fear with this kind of transportation. He sighed.

"Look, I know that you don't like motorcycles, but it's the only transportation available at the moment. I'm assuring you that you won't fall this time." Natsume sounded very convincing, but it didn't help her much for she knew another troubling fact about her life.

_I fear motorcycles because I had an accident on it before?_

She didn't let that question escape from her mouth for she knows that a conversation will just slow them down getting away from those gunmen. She'll have time to ask all of her questions to him, but that's definitely not now.

Natsume rode the motorcycle and started its engine. He adjusted its rear mirrors and checked again the fuel tank. Everything was on set now. He turned to Mikan and offered his hand.

Mikan at first hesitated, but still reached for his hand. She realized that whose hand will she able grab at this time other than her _own husband's_, right?

They started to gain speed and were now on a high way. There are two things for Mikan to choose while riding on the bike: she'll let herself fall or she'll cling with all her might unto Natsume. She wrapped her arms around Natsume's waist with the gun still on her right hand, and pressed her cheeks against his wide shoulders. His back gave her a tingling feeling that she had used that back a long time ago, too, for comfort, just like now.

She let her fears drift away with the wind that goes through them. She absorbed that moment. She'll treasure it forever.

After all, she was with the man that claimed to be her husband; she shouldn't worry about anything anyway. She hasn't proved it that much, yes, but her inner self tells her that there's no doubt about it. But one thing's for sure: _this man next to her holds her life—and possibly even her heart—in his hands_.

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**Author's Note:**

**Thank you for reading!!**

**Did you like it?**

What can you say about this new chappie?! Comment me!

:D

_ANNOUNCEMENT:_

FYI: I have changed my pen-name from Goddess Nyx 21 to **pHysCheLLe**

I did it because some of my personal friends knew that this is my FanFiction account and I don't want to do a new one just to hide from 'em. (laugh)

Anyway, Thank you again for reading.

And I do really need your comments, suggestions or criticisms regarding my story for me to improve it for you! :) So please, feel free to give me some advices...

See you again on my next chaps!!

**xxxXXooOooOooOooOooOooOooXXxxx**


	5. Mission 04

**Author's Note:**

I do not own Alice Academy.

**:...:**

**:…:**

**Mission Part 04**

**:…..:**

**:…:**

Paulo is mow driving all the way for about two and a half hour since they left the clinic.

A lot of things is passing through his mind now just like the wind blowing on his face. The wind may be strong but that didn't work on his fierce ruby-colored eyes; they're still awake and alert, unlike the ones on the woman behind him, hers was shut with fear.

Of all the thoughts rampaging on his head, one did stuck on it and really made his head go on blank: what'll happen to them after driving for so long now?

Heck, only if he could answer himself with a 'we'll both drink coffee on a peaceful bakery shop and relax for the next couple of days'. Hell, no! It's more likely of 'we won't eat for days and will stay hidden in a deep, dark forest away from those gunmen'. Yeah, right. That sounded more like it.

He has only one place in mind now where they'll be going and he zoomed away again, faster.

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An hour more lately and Natsume finally stopped. They both climbed off their seat. They're now in a place that you can say like an isolated forest or something for trees and twigs, vines and shrubs, grasses and insects surrounded them. He pulled the motorcycle into a clutter of trees and turned off its engine. He attached a small circular chip on the inside of the motor engine and covered the whole thing with wide leaves and branches. _Hope that Ruca will find you here_ _fast and burn you up so that there'll be no evidence of us stepping our foot here_, he inwardly thought for the motor.

"Any idea where we are?" Michelle asked as she stroke her ankles and made a few sound of discomfort. Her body really is in pain now.

Natsume sat down on a rock filled with moist mosses. "Between Baton Rouge and New Orleans," he estimated. Actually, they're still very close on New Orleans. His own body was numb now. Whose body wouldn't with that long hours of driving? But he didn't mind his aching muscles. He only considered the fact that they're not far enough from danger anytime, anywhere. Hopefully, he had given Jinx enough time to get a few things under control. If not, then it would be one long night.

"Are we safe here?" Mikan asked again and you could easily guess that she's not happy on where they are. Much more, you can feel her fear of some attempts on her precious life again.

He took a glance of the place. "Hopefully."

"You don't sound hopeful."

He shrugged. "Guarantees are a rare thing in life, Michelle, but we're a heck of lot safer here than we were back at that clinic."

She stayed quiet for a moment, absorbing the things that Paulo said. _Guarantees are a rare thing in life_. True, isn't it? "So, you don't believe that those men will follow us here?"

"I think not. Not at this time of the day, at least. They'll soon find out that all the people in this world needs rest," he answered back, "Anyway, no one knows the way trough these woods. Only few know this. Lucky me I do."

"So, is this the part of our adventure when you tell me what's really going on?"

Natsume groaned. He didn't want to play a question-and-answer game all night. _Keep her alive. Catch the bad guys._ Oh yeah, and, _Be nice to her_. At no time had anyone said a thing about answering her questions.

"You know what's going on," Paulo briskly assured her. "Some gunmen came after us, and luckily, we got away."

Michelle glared at him and at his sarcastic answers.

"Okay now. Look, I'm tired now and all I wanted to do is to get a wink of peaceful sleep," he let her know. "Come on," he insisted. "We need to get moving."

"On foot?"

"Well, since there's deep mud ahead and the motorcycle would've get stuck, I don't see any other way." And with that, he took her gun, put it in the waist of his jeans and snagged her around the hips. Like a caveman claiming his woman, he tossed her over his shoulder.

"No, not again! What the hell do you think you're doing?" she complained.

He began to walk, keeping the same pace he would have had she not been on his shoulder. "Carrying you," he answered after a long break.

She wiggled, squirmed, and otherwise tried to twist her way out of his grip. No use. "Urgh! Put me down, NOW!" Mikan commanded.

He paused a little. "Do you really want me to? You have stitches on your ankle, right? Now, let's see if I can recall basic first aid." He pretended o think about it. "By now, those stitches have probably worked their way partially loose, so you have an open wound. Add to that some of this sloppy, wormy mud, and I see the potential for a really nasty infection. What do you think?" He didn't let her answer. "I don't have time to take you to the doctor again, so be still."

Just like that and she stopped struggling, and her body practically went limp against him. "I suppose it's too much to hope that other than crossing a swamp, you actually have a plan?"

He made his way around a large cypress tree and its knee-like roots that stood almost a foot above the ground. "I have one, but I don't feel especially good about it."

_Keep her alive. Catch the bad guys._And again, _be nice to her_. That actually wasn't a plan at all. It definitely lacked the necessary components for a successful mission. But that's the only thing he had in mind right now. _They're the orders I'm compelled to obey_. _Or am I?_

"It'd be heck of a lot easier if you just had your memory," he let her know. "You sure your not faking this amnesia thing?"

"No I don't. You've already asked me that! Besides, why would I fake something like this? Is there really a big _something_ on my head that I need to remember that's really that important?"

Yeah, he could think of a reason for her to do that. She could be using the ploy so she wouldn't have to tell him why she'd really returned. "I don't have an answer to that one either, _mi vida_."

She poked him hard on the back. "Don't call me darling."

Natsume managed to smirk in spite of his rotten mood. Well, she remembered her Spanish anyway, along with remembering that she didn't like him to use that little term of endearment. And that's why he'd done it. He still likes to tease her badly, even after all those times.

He finally stopped walking when he reached a solid patch on the ground, depositing Mikan on her feet and pulled back some low branches. Just as he hoped it would be, there was the truck hidden behind the curtain of Spanish moss.

"Thank you, Jinx," Paulo mumbled and opened the door on the driver's side. "I owe you another one."

"Jinx? You mean Wade Jenkins?" she asked. "What does he have to do with this?"

"He left here this truck for us, and he sent the warning over the pager to tell us those gunmen were in the parking lot." He stopped explaining with that and pulled down some moss and used it to clean his boots. "We'll spend the night here and head out at the first light."

Michelle stared at him. "Here?"

"_Sí, aquí_." Natsume motioned for her to get inside. He slapped at a couple of mosquitoes that had started to feast on his neck. "And hurry up before these things eat us alive."

(_Sí, aquí_means 'yes, here' in English)

She got in all right and scooted toward the other side to get as far away him as possible. Even then, they were practically shoulder to shoulder when Paulo joined her.

"Might as well get comfortable," he told her.

Her eyebrow arched. "You're kidding, right?"

Natsume just gave her a '_tsk'_ sound with a smirk on his lips. Then, he pulled off his T-shirt and tossed it on the floor along with his holster and all three weapons. "We'll have to leave the windows up because of the mosquitoes, so it'll get hot in here. Wanna take off those scrubs?"

Maybe it slipped off Mikan's head that she's still on a hospital scrubs, but that didn't matter. She gave him a look that could have withered a new fence post. "Not even if I were on _fire_ and there wasn't a drop of water for miles around."

He chuckled. "Suit yourself." He draped his forearm over the steering wheel and looked at her. "Lie down."

She glanced at the seat. And then at his _bare_ chest. "You want me to lie down?"

He rolled his eyes. _Do I always need to say the things that I've said twice?_"Hell. Michelle, we're married. And even if we weren't, we'd still have to get some rest. That means the seat or outside. I have no intentions of sleeping outside with the snakes and mosquitoes do you?"

She looked out the window, apparently to weigh her options. Not that she had any options to weigh. She sighed with her own defeat and was about to lie down when Natsume spun her like a top and put her head into his lap. "Do you really want to sleep without a pillow?"

She blushed a little but Natsume hadn't noticed it. Then, she let out a disgusted sound.

"Now what?" he snarled.

"The seat smells like of men's perfume. I don't like it."

Yes, he could smell that too. But there's another scent that has been rushing into his brain that muddles it: _Mikan's own distinctive scent_. It made Paulo shut his eyes. It was distracting for him. It was a challenge for him to force himself on their current situation. _Not on his wife_. He tried to get that sensation out of him by remembering all the things that she had done to him; it worked. That is, until she spoke.

"We don't get along very well, do we, Natsume?"

He considered lying. But there was something in her voice: a plea for the truth. And that's what exactly he gave her. "No. We don't."

She paused, apparently letting that sink in. "If our situation were reversed, would you trust me?"

Now he'd lie. Except it wouldn't really be a lie. Yes, their past has been, well, checkered. But if it was a matter of life or death, Mikan would come through him. Natsume didn't have to guess about that.

"I'd trust you," he finally said. "Now give it a rest and go to-"

"I hate being like this."

"Sorry but this was the best I can offer under the circumstances. I promise, there was a time you didn't mind sleeping this close to me."

"I'm not talking about that. Not entirely anyway," she added as an afterthought. "I hate not knowing who am I or who you are. You could be an ax murderer, and I wouldn't know until it was too late."

She looked up at him. Paulo looked down and met her gaze in the moonlight. He didn't want to stare at her, but his body seemed to have a different idea. It was hard _not to remember_ that this was _a woman he'd once loved_. _A woman who'd loved him_ right back.

"I'm not an ax murderer," he heard himself say. "I gave that up years ago."

She actually smiled, briefly, but there was a frown not too far behind. "I know nothing about you or me except the few things you've let me know. I don't even know when my birthday is. I'm too scared to admit that I'm scared because I don't know if I can trust you with that admission of weakness. I'm afraid you'll use it against me."

"Michelle."His voice was a gruff. Then it changed. It softened. His hands were already on her hair. It was definitely intimate contact, but he didn't pull away. "Being scared doesn't mean you're weak. It just means that you're scared. And smart. Stupid people are too stupid to be scared. By the way, your birthday is on every first day of the year."

"January first," she repeated on a heavy sigh. "It doesn't even ring a bell."

Paulo said nothing. He leaned his head against the cool window and listened to the sound of her voice.

"I don't know what I was. Who I am. You don't know how frustrating that is."

He's still silent. He doesn't know how to comfort somebody under these situations. Yes, he has no idea how bad Michelle felt, but he can feel it.

"I seem to know a little bit about a lot of things," she continued. "Like I knew the clinical name for my amnesia, but I didn't know you. What was I, Paulo? And don't you dare say I worked in a bookstore in Austin, because I know that's not right."

He debated since telling her the truth would just create more questions. But without truth, he didn't stand of chance of tapping into her mind to find out what had gone wrong.

"You're an FBI agent, too," he answered. "You're part of the ERT, the evidence response team 'because analyzing things is your forte."

Mikan sensed that there's still something missing. "That's all?"

Natsume sighed. Her instincts on things are still very sharp indeed. "Okay. That's only a part-time job. You are one of the _Supreme Alice Deities_; the most powerful group of Alices consisting of six of the most powerful Alice holders in the world coming from the six different continents," he supplied her. "You're the representative for Asia and known to the other deities as _Kin-chō_. You have a special Alice tattoo in the middle of your collar bone, a symbol of the golden butterfly that acts as an indicator that you're a Supreme Alice Deity. Only the other supreme deities can see that tattoo."

"Yes." She nodded. Paused. And repeated it. "Now that feels right." _I'm a deity_. "So, what do I do?"

"Implementing things among Alices; just like what a president is to a nation. You're the _Alice Goddess_. You're a rank higher than the other five deities."

_I am that prestige? No wonder my life is so valuable to them._"Okay. So, what exactly is the problem I'm on in right now?"

Paulo continued. "A little about two years ago, an anti-alice organization made a signing program in the protest of banning the Alice usage. They said that Alices are the only ones making this world revolve, and they want to prove that they, as ordinary people without any power, can surpass what an alice can do. They wanted to be independent from the Alices." He paused a little. "It is true that most of the works and businesses are being occupied and ran by Alices because of their powers. These ordinary people don't want to live under the Alices shadows, as they say. They've got numerous supporters; almost 2/3 of the world population, for the Alice World population was only 1/3 of it.

"With that revolt, we, the Alices, decided to follow what they want. We've made an agreement with them; the non-alice people; to have an _Alice Blackout._ For five years, all the alices will be nullified and will be unable to use. After these five years and these people can't still stabilize this world without the help of alice, the Alices will regain their powers and continue living peacefully with the non-alices. It is some kind of test if the world can survive without the Alice's powers."

Mikan fell silent. She understands the non-alice people's feelings. Even she, she thought, wouldn't want to be run under some people higher than her. And she also realized that she, as Natsume said, was the highest of all these higher people. _So I'm one of the reasons for these people's revolt against us Alices?_

She pushed out a deep breath. Of frustration, maybe. Her warm breath dusted in his bare stomach. Not good. Maybe he should have risked roasting and kept his shirt on after all. He inched slightly away from her. Not that he could inch very far without leaving the truck.

Paulo noticed Michelle's spacing out. "Oi," he interrupted her thoughts. "I know what you're probably thinking of now. Don't blame yourself. You may be the highest among us but you're not the only one running the whole world. Actually, _we_ don't run it. It's just with our powers, the ordinary feels inferior."

She managed to smile for him. But it still bothers her to know that she's one of the reasons for these people's feelings.

"So, how long this blackout had been implemented?" she asked.

"About three years already."

_More or less two years to go_. "So, why are these ordinary people want me dead if we've made an agreement with them not to use our powers all these years?"

"Haven't you got it? As I stated earlier at the clinic, you're the only one that has the nullification alice; You're the one implementing this temporary spell among us, thus also the only one who can dispel it. If

you're going to die, the spell will remain forever and we'll not regain our powers anymore," he explained. " That's the advantage these ordinary people will get: everybody will be _ordinary_. No more Alices."

Mikan was bewildered. "So all your lives; you alices, depend on mine?"

"Yep. No _Kin-chō_, no more Alices. All of our kind; people with extraordinary powers; will be _extinct._"

_Kin-chō_. It was the second time he had spoken of that. "So the Golden butterfly was my crest. What are for the other deities?"

"_Gin-usagi:_The Silver Rabbit for the European Deity; _Ao-_zō: The Blue Elephant for the African Deity; _Aka-oushi_: The Red Bull for the South American Deity; _Shiro-uo_: The White Fish for the Australian Deity."

"Those are only five," Mikan realized. "Who's your leaving behind?"

"_Kuro-neko_: The Black Cat for the North American," he finally added.

_Kuro-neko_. She had heard of it before—Yes! Alas! One of the gunmen had spoken of that. And he was pertaining to…

"You're the sixth deity?" she asked after her realization.

"You're not happy with that?"

"But you said that we both came from Japan. How's that you're representing South America?" She was puzzled.

"I've studied at the Mexican Alice Academy and stayed there for about 10 years. I have been a Mexican citizen since then, making me a South American."

_So that's why he has that Spanish accent._Things are now making some sense. Well, a little. Now, she knows who is she in the world of Alice, and what the problem she's facing is.

"What am I doing since the blackout occurred?"

"Things go on as planned. Well, at least we thought they had." He shrugged. "And then you disappeared."

Mikan was about to sit up because of what she heard, but Natsume's hands were on her shoulders preventing her to stand up.

"Be still. There's no need for you to be so surprised."

"But, why did I hide—"

"I think you left because of me," he interrupted her. "We'd talked about a divorce." It was the truth, even though Jinx and Ashley had ordered him not to tell her. "It's getting late. We should get some—"

_So he doesn't know why I hid myself. But maybe that's the reason; marital problems. But I can feel it was more than that._"You didn't know where I was all this time?"

Hell. She just didn't intend to stop. "Sometimes I knew," he admitted. "But I couldn't quite catch up with you."

"Was I ever in Houston?"

"Probably." And he made a mental note that it was the second time she'd mention that particular city. "Why? Do you remember something about Houston?"

"Not really. It's just a place that keeps coming to mind, but I can't associate it with anything. Houston might mean nothing." She shook her head.

A moment later, she asked again. "I have to ask. Considering our marital problems, just how hard did you look for me during the past two years?"

"I looked," he said defensively. "You're the one who walked out. You didn't want anyone to find you."

"Apparently, someone found me," she pointed out.

"Maybe. Or maybe you had no choice but to be found. Sometimes things play out that way."

She stared up at him. "What does that mean?"

"It means you need to get some sleep." Paulo yawned. Not a fake one either. It'd been a hell of a long day, and he was bone-tired. "Who knows? You might wake up tomorrow and remember everything."

She didn't disagree, but the little sound she made wasn't one of hope. She felt a little bad for Paulo for he answered all her questions seriously and she can't offer anything for his questions. Still, at the moment, hope was the best thing they had going for them.

_Hope that Mikan would regain her memory._

_Hope that those gunmen would stop following them._

_Hope that he could, somehow, keep her alive._

And with all of that and another millions of hope inside her, she closed her eyes and drifted of into peace, that is, _as of now_.

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**Author's Note:**

**Thank you for reading!**

**Did you like it?**

What can you say about this new chappie? Comment me!

:D

Right now, I am considering to myself to erase this story 'cause I don't have that much people for supporters, thus, making me think that this story is a trash. I think people doesn't like it.

What can you say my reader? Should I just delete it or keep on writing?

I do really need your comments, suggestions or criticisms regarding my. So please, feel free to give me some advices...

I'll be basing my decision on the reviews that I'll get.

Thank You.

Hopefully, see you again on my next chaps!

(That is, if you're going to make me continue this. My decision lies on my readers…)


	6. Mission 05

**Author's Note:**

I do not own Alice Academy.

Another thing. I just want to apologize for my mistake in my previous chapter. This is the part where I made my mistake:

_"But you said that we both came from Japan. How's that you're representing South America?"_

This is the part where Mikan asks Natsume on how he became the "North" American Deity. It should be _North _since Mexico is in the North America. I don't think anyone noticed it but still, it's my bad! SORRY!!

**- pHysCheLLe**

Now, please proceed on my new chapter...

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**Mission Part 05**

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Michelle awakened slowly, trying to get her bearings before she moved or even opened her eyes. Her bearings, however, were wrapped all around her. She was on the truck seat cradled in a man's arms. _Paulo's arms_. Her face was buried against his neck, and his manly scent surrounded her.

This was not good. _Not good at all_. The scent went straight trough her like a triple shot of whiskey. It was like a memory inside her. But not a memory exactly. More like a feeling that what they were doing was right.

_And wrong_.

Quickly, but not so easily, she unraveled herself from his snug grip so she could get a sitting position. The moment she moved, Paulo did as well. He came off the seat, reaching for his gun in the same motion.

Their gazes collided. His eyes were still ripe with sleep, and she saw some of the emotions that he'd kept so guarded, so under control the day before. The concern. The stress. The tiredness. The frustration.

And other things she didn't even want to explore.

Mikan took a deep breath. Just who was this man that she'd once promised to love forever? Now, she was almost afraid to find out.

Pulling herself away from that naked gaze, and not to mention, from his partly naked body, Mikan opened the truck door at her side and stepped out, careful enough not to put direct pressure on her wounded ankle. She made a sweeping glance around the thick cypress woods. The sun was just rising over a misty-topped bayou, and with the exception of a snow-white egret, they were alone.

_Completely alone_.

"Are you alright?" Natsume asked, waking her up from her still sleepy thoughts.

No, she wasn't. Reality was harsher in the early-morning light than it had been in the darkness. She was in the middle of a bayou with a man she didn't know. She had no memory. _Nothing at all!_ And someone wanted her dead. Not the best way to start the day by thinking these but she couldn't help but to worry herself. Add to that wicked headache and what felt like an overwhelming need for a cup of coffee, and it didn't seem she had a lot to look forward to.

She leaned against the truck and tried to catch her breath. "So, what happens now?" she asked, almost afraid to hear the answer.

With catlike grace, Natsume slid off the seat and stood beside her in a fraction of a second. He brought his shoulder holster and gun with him, draping it over his arm. "We try to find out who's behind this and then get you to a safer place."

At least he seemed to think that was possible. She wasn't so sure anymore. Maybe there were no safe places for them to go anymore.

She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. Still shirtless, the sunlight danced over his masculine and slightly tanned chest. His body wasn't that big, yet, it wasn't small too; just right to remind you that he can beat a dozen men at a single combat.

That, his _body_, is one thing she shouldn't mind in this situation. There were tons of other things that she should be sorting out in her mind now, but still, it was hard not to notice and respond to him since he was an attractive man. _A very attractive one_. Maybe, even though that they didn't know each other in the past, she'll still be engrossed to him she thought.

Small flying insects were now surrounding them. Natsume lifted the lid to the storage bin in the bed of the truck. Muscles flexed as he fished around inside and came up with two bottles of water.

He passed one of the bottles her way and asked, "I don't think your memory returned overnight, huh?"

Michelle shook her head. No memory. Just another headache and an unwanted physical attraction to the man leaning against the truck beside her.

She didn't plan to ask him to put on his shirt. No sense letting him in on the fact there was a whirl of emotions she didn't understand, or want to feel; emotions that included an old-fashioned case of lust. She might not remember Paulo, but her hormones sure did.

He took a long drink of water. "So, nothing about this place seems familiar?"

Mikan looked around again, hoping she'd missed something that would jar her memory. She hadn't. "No, should it?"

Natsume shrugged. _Yes it should_. "We spent our honeymoon not to far from here."

Mikan looked at him doubtfully with a pinch of sarcasm. "We had our honeymoon in a middle of a bayou?" she asked, sure that she'd heard him wrong. It didn't seem the best of locations for that. Or maybe it did. If two people wanted complete privacy, it would be ideal.

She mentally slapped herself and quickly shoved that thought aside. _What am I thinking?_

"We were in a cabin just a couple of miles away," Paulo added. "We didn't go there last night because it's a little too close to the main road." He stared out at the scenery, and Michelle could almost see the memories going through his head. Memories no doubt of all the things that couples did on a honeymoon.

Oh God. _Pervert, huh? _she thought.

It didn't seem a subject she should press, but it was also one she couldn't resist. After all, she'd spent more than four years with this man. "We were in love?"

She saw the muscles stiffen in Paulo's arms and shoulders. He put the bottle to his mouth, finished off the water and tossed the plastic container in the back of the truck. "Yeah. Once."

His answer wasn't just brusque. It was downright chilly. And that chill made Mikan want to know more. However, she didn't get a chance to delve any deeper into the feelings they'd had once for each other. The slight sound she heard caused her throat to snap shut.

The sound was of a broken twig obviously caused by someone walking nearby.

Natsume obviously heard it too because without warning he caught into her arm and shoved her to the ground. Suddenly, her face, and the rest of her, was in the moist dirt. He followed on top of her sprawling himself over her back.

Pebbles and other assorted debris dug into her chest and stomach. Other than an involuntary groan caused by the weight of Natsume's body on hers, Mikan didn't even have time to react. She heard the gunmetal whisper against the stiff leather holster as Paulo drew his weapon.

All her fears returned in full force. Her heart started to pound. Her stomach twisted into a hard knot. God, she didn't want to die, and there might be nothing she could do to stop it. She couldn't even reach for her gun since it was inside the truck. She was so hopelessly scared.

Michelle tried to look around, to see if there was any real danger. Maybe it was nothing at all—a sound made by an animal or the morning breeze rustling through the trees. But she was almost positive that only a human footstep can make such a snap.

"Hey!" someone called out to them.

"Ahhh!!" Mikan screamed out her fear as the ground around shook and formed four wall-like structures, casing them both inside. Natsume saw who the man is, but Mikan obviously didn't and all did was to panic. The earth that was once mud is now as hard and as solid rock bricks, and these were protecting them. Natsume was surprised. _What the? _He was puzzled. He touched the wall and felt something. _Alice made!_

Paulo stood up and caught her hand to help Michelle into a sitting position. He brushed away the dirt and hair on her face. "It's alright now, calm down! No, don't cry, it's just Ruca! Now calm down a little," he ordered her.

Mikan is now sobbing. "They're gonna kill us!"

"No, no. It's just Jinx," he assured her. "Now, put this protective shield out."

"Huh?"

_Oh, shit! She has amnesia! So this was made by her on-guard Alice. How will we get out of this?_ Paulo thought hard. "Okay now. Listen Michelle. These," he pointed to the walls around them; "you made these. Now, we need it off so we could get out."

"I wasn't aware of doing anything!" she answered back, half frightened.

"These were made by your on-guard alice, by your instincts. Sort of an amulet; a power that you have set to be used in case of emergencies, even though you didn't command them to, they'll move on their own," he explained. "Now, just calm down and think. Command these walls to breakdown with your mind."

"A-alright," she approved, took a deep breath, stood up and closed her eyes. She had her both shaking hands together infront of her chest. She thought deeply. Very deep. Tons of thoughts are rampaging through her mind, but it all cleared the moment she commanded them to be. She reached out with her right hand one of the walls and held it. She lay her palm on it firmly. _Release! _she mentally shouted.

The walls around them crumpled and break down. Natsume smiled. She held Mikan's hand. "Good job, _Kin- chō_!"

Mikan was just shocked herself. She didn't know what to think, say, or anything. It's just, what happened, just now, just moments ago, what she did herself, was so _magical _for her.

"I'd appreciate it a whole lot if you didn't shoot me. This shirt is new and I don't want blood all over it. But instead of blood, I got these muds from your walls!" Ruca said half-joking as he made his way through the ferns and jewelweed toward them. "I didn't know that you can still use your alice at your current state. I am impressed," he said particularly to Mikan.

She only stared at him. _What's he doing out here?_ The thought of Jinx knowing where they are didn't please her. More or less, the _fact_ that he is here, right now, where they are. But these gave her some relief too. At east, it wasn't any of the gunmen.

"If your wondering on what's this blonde boy doing out here, it's just he owns this place as well as the nearby cabins," Paulo answered for her questions in thoughts.

"By the way," Wade interrupted, "Glad that you two made it out of that clinic."

"It also took some doing. Might as well as let your people clean that up for us," said Natsume as he kept his gun away into his holster. "And thanks for the heads up."

"No problem." He handed Paulo a plain black gym bag and a small cooler.

Paulo set the cooler in the truck and handed the gym bag to her. "There should be some clothes in there so you can change. Those hospital scrubs are too noticeable."

He was right, of course, especially since the top had spatters of blood on it. Still, she didn't think it was a change of attire that Natsume had on his mind. It seemed that he was rather anxious for her to leave so he could talk privately with his boss.

Michelle accommodated hi. Well, in a way. She stepped behind a large bell-bottom tree about fifteen feet away, but she kept her ear turned toward the men. Unfortunately, the breeze didn't cooperate, and she could only catch snatches of what they said. She heard Paulo explaining to Jinx that it was his first time to see her again use her powers, and that she's still unable to control it.

Without taking her attention away from the conversation, she went through the bag and fond a phone, ammunition and a first-aid kit. There was also an envelope stuffed with cash. The only clothes were a pair of very short camouflage shorts and a cotton top.

Michelle snatched up the phone and turned it on. She'd hoped she would dial something automatically—a number so rote, so ingrained, that it would come to her in spite of the amnesia. That didn't happen.

Nothing happen.

Apparently, there was no critical phone number lurking in her memory. It was another dead end. That meant she have to try to get something out of Paulo and Wade.

Not good.

She hadn't had a lot of success in that particular area. So far, all she knew was about on how this _Alice Blackout_ occurred and what's her role on the world of the alice. And because of some non-alice opportunists, someone is now after her and wanted her dead.

Well, maybe.

And maybe it had nothing to do with her, being the alice nullifier. Maybe something else had triggered these attacks. Of course, Mikan had no way of knowing because everything was still trapped inside her head.

Frustrated, she tossed the phone back into the bag and peeled off the scrubs so she could into the other clothes.

"Will," she heard Natsume say, making the name sound like profanity.

"You think Michelle will know where he is?" Ruca added another question to that, but she couldn't catch what he said.

"Maybe. She mentioned Houston in the message she left on my machine."

Michelle heard that part. Clearly. And again she felt that tug of familiarity. She didn't know anything about that message she'd left Paulo, but getting to Houston was important. Critical even. Too bad she didn't know why. Maybe it had something to do with this man named Will.

So, who was this guy—a boyfriend? But that didn't feel right.

She bent down to pick up the shorts. And then she saw it. Or rather saw _them_. "Oh my God," she whispered.

Three thin, vertical scars were on her stomach, just above the top of her underwear. The whitish lines were so faint, so threadlike, that she figured that's why she hadn't notice them when she was in the bathroom, at the clinic.

They looked like _stretch marks_.

That possibility caused her to reach for the tree for support. Stretch marks. God, had she been pregnant? Maybe. Then, she carried that out to its next logical conclusion—had she had a child?

Certainly, Natsume would have mentioned something as monumental as that. Wouldn't he? Mikan gave it a more thought. Yes, he would have. There would have been no reason to keep something like that to her.

Well, unless he didn't know.

But that didn't make sense either. Like the scar on her arm, these didn't look fresh. Besides, a woman could get stretch marks for a variety of reasons—weight gain or just plain genetics. Those explanations were far easier to accept than the possibility that she had a child out there somewhere.

Far easier.

"Everything alright?" Paulo called out to her.

No, it wasn't, but she didn't say that to him. "I'm almost done."

And the first chance she got, she intended to ask Paulo a few questions.

She pulled on the shorts, frowning at the fact that they fit like skin. There wasn't much of the waist-length top either, but since she didn't have a choice, she slipped it on anyway.

The men were still speaking in whispers when she came out from behind the tree. "I'm ready," she let the two gentlemen know.

He was in midsentence, still speaking to Jinx, but the words seemed to freeze in his throat. Surprise rifled through his eyes. Then something else. Something smoldering, no doubt caused by the skimpy clothes. Paulo slid that smoldering gaze from her head to her toes, and that gaze did more than concern Michelle. It heated every drop of blood in her body. Natsume gave Ruca a piercing glare. Wade just looked the other way, grinning.

"What's the plan?" she asked no one in particular. Best to move on from smoldering looks to business.

Natsume cleared his throat and motioned toward the truck. "We put some distance between us and New Orleans. I need to get you to a safer place so we can start making a few inquiries."

That certainly sounded like a good idea. And while they are putting that distance between them and New Orleans, she would see what she could learn from Natsume. "Are we going to Houston?"

Paulo glanced at his commander first. "Maybe. Eventually."

"What's in Houston, Michelle?" Jinx questioned. But it was more than a question. It was a challenge.

She shrugged. "You tell me. According to you, I'm just a bookstore employee in Austin," she fired back.

The corner of Paulo's mouth lifted with a teasingly smirk for Wade who just looked at him disapprovingly.

Ruca now shifted his attention to Mikan. "I don't thin it's my imagination that you don't trust me." He didn't wait for her to confirm that. "Would it help if you knew I was Gabe's childhood best friend and also his best man at your own wedding?"

Mikan glanced at Natsume, and he confirmed that with a nod. However, it didn't do a thing to change her opinion of Jinx. There was something about him, something she couldn't quite put her finger on. Something that caused that prickle to return to her neck. Still, it was best no to antagonize him.

"You and I want the same thing," she finally said. "I want to find out who's after me, and I want to try to figure out who I am. I'm hoping Agent Arcenal would be generous enough to fill me in on some of the details."

It was subtle, but because Mikan kept her focus on Ruca, she saw him slip Natsume a warning glance. So, there were other things that Agent Jenkins didn't want her to know. Maybe those things involved the stretch marks that she couldn't get off her mind, or maybe it involved the man named Will. Perhaps Will was the key to finding out what was going on.

Paulo opened the truck door and motioned for her to get in. "It's time to go."

Mikan was more than ready to leave, especially since she was sure Jinx wouldn't be going with them. She climbed onto the seat, and Natsume shut the door. He whispered something to Ruca before he joined her.

"Be careful," Wade said to them as Natsume started the engine. "And if I were you, I wouldn't trust anybody until we have some answers."

Something deep within her tells that he is a friend, yes, but there's also a tingling something that gives her some suspicions. She's still confused n who is this _Ruca Nogi_ in her past.

They stared to move away from him. Ruca obviously didn't include himself in that blanket warning, but Mikan silently added him to it. It was an excellent advice, and she intended to take it. She didn't intend to trust anyone.

"_Giving trust to somebody is a great risk for any person, especially those who don't know what their past is. I've already risked it for Natsume. I won't take any more risks now. Not yet. It's critical. My trust should be gained, not given," _Mikan thought.

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**Author's Note:**

**I'm back again!!**

**Thank you for reading!!**

Well, I gave it a hard thought if i should still write and have still not decided yet whether to stop or to continue. I didn't receive much reviews from my readers even though that my 'hits' count are high. Still, I'm not that convinced that my work is good enough to be published here.

But anyways, thank you for those who supported me and encouraged me. It really cheered me up. Here are the list of the other people here that gave me some encouragements:

**XxblackwingsxX**

**dominiqueanne**

**sapphireangel09**

**pLumBloSsoM07**

**Ashe16**

**harpiie!**

**xxbabyxox**

**THANK YOU SO MUCH!!**

Because of these guys, I think I'll have 60 chance of continuing this, knowing that there were people out there waiting for my updates.

I'll see if I'll be writing the next chap. And also, if you have anything in mind that you might want to add to this story, please tell me freely. I'll try my best to grant your thoughts (that is if I'm still going to finish this story).

:)

Again, Thank You.

Hopefully, see you again on my next chaps!!

(That is, if you're going to make me continue this. My decision lies on my readers…)

**xxxXXooOooOooOooOooOooOooXXxxx**


	7. Mission 06

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Alice Academy.

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**Mission Part 06**

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"I have a question," Mikan announced. She drank some water and settled against the seat as if this would be a long-drawn-out ordeal.

Natsume figured it likely would be in just about every way possible. "Just one question?" he asked sarcastically.

"Well, actually, I have several, but I guess this is as good a place to start as any. Do we have a child?"

Natsume felt as if a bolt of lightning had it him. He was almost afraid to find out what had prompted that question. "No." he quickly assured her.

"You're sure?"

He didn't have to think about his answer. "Positive. Why'd you ask?"

She shrugged. "No reason. I just figured since, we, uh, were married, there was a possibility we had a child."

"No. We decided not to have children."

He braced himself for yet more on the subject, but Mikan stayed quiet for several moments. _Hell_. What was going on in her head? Did she remember something? And if so, why had she remembered that particular piece of their past? That one issue had been the source of too many arguments to count.

"So, no baby," she mumbled under her breath. "Did I used to weigh more than I do now?"

Now, Natsume glanced at her. "A little. What the hell is this all about, Michelle?" With everything else going on, he couldn't imagine that she'd be concerned about her weight.

She shrugged again. "I just got the feeling that I'm thinner that I usually am. I guess maybe a ton of stress is the ultimate diet, ne?"

Natsume's Agent Paulo side thought that maybe that was a smoke screen, but he didn't care. He was more than happy to let the subject drop. It wasn't a good idea for them to discuss anything about her body. It would only remind him that she had a body. A body that he was familiar with in every intimate kind of way.

"Okay. Here's something else I'd like to know," she continued a moment later. "Who's Will?"

The _Kuro-neko_ blew out a frustrated breath. Even though he'd known more questions would be coming, he didn't need this any more than a possible baby/weight-loss discussion. The traffic on the highway was light, but he wanted to keep his attention focused on their surroundings. That wouldn't be easy to do if he had to answer a lot of questions. Her clothes already gave him more distractions than he needed. Ruca was obviously trying to torture him.

The first problem was her shorts. They were snug in all the wrong places and showed practically every inch of her long, slender legs. The top wasn't much better, especially since she obviously wasn't wearing a bra. This was heaven and hell combined for him. _Damn you, Ruca!_

However, he forced his attention back on the immediate problem—Mikan's question. A question that he knew would just lead to others. "Let me guess. You eavesdropped on my conversation with Wade?"

"I _overheard_," she corrected. "So, who is this Will? Is he the person who tried to kill me?"

Hell, he hoped not, but Natsume was almost positive Will had no part in this. That didn't mean the man didn't have information, and with some luck, Ruca might soon know where they could find him so they could get that information.

"No, he's your brother," he finally answered.

That improved her posture. Mikan barely got down the mouthful of water she'd just drunk. She obviously hadn't considered the possibility that she had family.

"God. I have a brother," she whispered to herself. "What about him and my parents? Certainly they're worried about me. I hadn't considered that someone might be concerned as to my whereabouts," she spoke so fast now.

Oh, he's pretty sure there were plenty of people concerned. The right people. And the wrong ones. The problem was determining which category everyone belonged in.

"Well, about your family, uhm, you've got a _lot_ of them. You're biological parents are Alices, too," he hesitated then continued. "I won't elaborate on these. You'll know it when you've got your memory back." He paused and thought of what else he could say to her. "You and Will have been adopted legally by Mr. John O'Brien. He's Narumi in real life. Will's real name is Tsubasa. He's a good senpai of yours back in Japan."

"Oh. So he's in Japan?"

"Only sometimes, to visit and to do some things. But he's an American citizen and has his permanent address here," he supplied. "He can't bear to be away from his precious sister, even after we got married."

Mikan smiled to that. There's something to these two people-- Narumi and Tsubasa-- that made her at ease. She felt familiar with them. Yes, _family_ was the right term to name them.

"You could have kept in touch with them. With Will, at the very least. John's always busy doing things at various Alice Academies. And you look at your brother as a safe harbor, so I'm pretty sure you've ran into him."

"So, why don't we go to him?" Mikan asked.

"I hope we can. He's also nowhere to be found."

That made Mikan twitch a little. She and his brother have been missing. Well, at least, only Tsubasa now is missing.

"Hey," Natsume cut off her thoughts, feeling her worries. "Don't worry about him. He's an agent, too. Maybe he's just hiding too to avoid your trackers get into you through him."

"Well, that'll make sense," was her solemn reply. _I guess_.

She was thinking deeply. She can _feel_ that she knows _why_ and _where_ his brother would hide. And she _knows_ that Tsubasa holds the key to unravel every clouded thought that she has.

"Well, I still can't get the picture. If I am the only one able to use my alice, then why would I hide from some non-alice people? I mean, are they really a huge threat to me?"

"I thought I should be the one asking you that," he stated while checking on their rearview mirror.

That's one thing Natsume has been trying to figure since the day she's been away. _Why Would she hide?_ Even from her husband? And to get away with his brother? That doesn't make sense. She can use anything and everything that she'd like to protect herself from anyone, but still, why _hide_?

"What if, I wasn't hiding myself?" she softly said to herself.

Even though she had practically whispered it, and the super agent was checking something running on their behind, the sleek _black cat_ still didn't miss a word. "Why would you say that?"

Mikan was caught off-guard. "I don't know." She shook her head. "I'm not sure why that came to my mind. I certainly don't remember anything or _anyone_ that I'd go to such lengths to protect."

Natsume considered that. What or who in the world would be more precious than the life of her wife? The life of the Alice Goddess? He's sure _nothing_ could be _so important_ that even the most powerful woman in this planet today would protect and _hide _it from anyone.

"Well, if there's such thing, why would I drag my brother to keep it and… and not you?" she hesitated. "Why not my own husband? Which is a deity, too," she added.

"I am wondering the same thing, _mi vida_. But, looking at our marital relationship, we could've kept many things from each other," he answered while speeding up so he could pass a big truck. "Only I'm sure of one thing," he paused. He looked at her now right straight into her hazel orbs, locking them into his crimson ones. "I won't go away from you whatever or however important a thing could mean for me to hide. _Never_."

Mikan was astounded. Her mind went blank and her heart seemed to forget to pump blood to her body for a moment there. His statement felt so damn _loving _and _sweet _and _true_. But it made her _guilty_ at the same time for a reason she cannot fathom. _I'm missing something. Something's not right. But what?_ She blamed her amnesia and hated it more. She wanted to answer back, but it seemed that her tongue now was nowhere to locate.

Now, Natsume looked uneasy and added some pressure to the accelerator to gain speed again. They passed about two cars. Now still going, the speed meter's needle was driving like crazy to the far right. _Is he mad? _Mikan thought nervously.

"Damn!" Agent Paulo cursed. He didn't take his attention off the rearview mirror.

"What's wrong?" Mikan panicked.

"Someone's following us."

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**Author's Note:**

**I'm back again!!**

**Thank you for reading!!**

I am so, SO SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING for almost like, forever! REALLY, I AM SO, DEEPLY, EARNESTLY SO SORRY! Specially to those who encouraged me to work in this story. I haven't checked on my account here for more than about 6 months, I think. Thank you everyone for the support and encouragements.

Special Thanks to my best friend! Hey, _**Chii**_! This story's for you. Though I won't get any reviews/comments from any other readers, well, I guess I can't let you bug me forever for not continuing this, ne? You should've helped me out with my plot! I'm going to be out of ideas soon! Haha!

Hopefully I'll still have some loving readers! Again, Thank you and sorry everyone!

**xxxXXooOooOooOooOooOooOooXXxxx**


	8. Mission 07

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Alice Academy.

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**Mission Part 07**

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Mikan's gaze shot through the rearview mirror. There was a dark blue car about thirty yards behind them. Just the sight of it sent the pulse in her throat hammering. God, had those gunmen from the clinic somehow managed to find them?

"How long have they been following us?" she asked. Mikan grabbed her gun from beneath the seat and braced herself for whatever was about to happen.

"About five minutes."

That was about how long it'd been since they got on this particular highway. Despite the rush of adrenaline that raced through her body, Michelle tried to force herself to concentrate. How could those gunmen have found them so quickly? She didn't care much for any of the answers that came to mind.

"Someone tipped them off?" she suggested.

Natsume didn't answer her. He gunned the engine passing two other vehicles. The moment he got around them, he veered off onto the next exit. The truck wobbled and shook when the _Kuro- neko_ forced it around the tight turn.

Mikan's grip tightened on her weapon while she watched and waited to see what the other car would do.

It followed them.

Natsume spat out to let her know that he was aware of that as well. He reached for his gun, moving it on the seat next to him.

"Get down," he ordered.

Michelle debated it. After all, if those men started to shoot again, she would likely need to return fire—if she could remember how to do that. But Agent Arcenal didn't give her a choice. He caught into the back of her neck and pushed her down the seat. "I want you to stay down!"

She did, but only because she figured he must have some kind of plan. "What now?" she asked.

"We lose them."

He sounded so calm and confident—and so vague—but she saw the concern that had a hold on the muscles in his jaw. If these were the gunmen from the clinic, then they wouldn't give up easily, and losing them on an open highway might be next to impossible.

Mikan lifted her head just slightly so she could check the side mirror. The car was right behind them and she thought she could see two people inside. No sign of any weapons, but that didn't mean they weren't armed.

"Hang on," Paulo let her know.

She barely had time to grab on the armrest on the door when Natsume twisted the steering wheel and sent the truck barreling onto a narrow side road. It sent her sliding into him and dropped her weapon as well.

"Ouch!"

"Steady yourself!" he commanded. "We'll switch places. Grab the wheel and I'll try to take them."

_How? _With their situation now and with Mikan's muddled thinking, she can't quite see how she can manage to drive safely and back up Natsume at the same time. Nevertheless, the agent climbed up her as she quickly grabbed the steering wheel, while at the same time, crawled underneath him to make it to his place.

Michelle steadied herself and tried to think calmly. Her hands are shaking with panic and fear and her vision is blurry. She stomped hard on the pedal for the truck to go faster. _Damn, my ankles! UGH!_ She tried not to think of her pain and glanced at Paulo's direction.

He rolled down the window, put half of his body out of it and shot two times at the truck's behind. She heard glasses breaking and a few shots aimed at them. "Be careful, Natsume!"

"Don't mind me! Keep your eyes on the road!"

She obeyed. Gunshots were filling her ears and tears swell up her eyes. She was so damn scared for his and for her life she wished for a protective blanket to cover them both.

_PZZING! PZZING!_

Natsume noticed that the bullets coming from the enemies are now bouncing off before it even hit their truck. He tried to shoot at them again and saw that he was making some damages at their car. _We're bulletproof?  
_

He smirked. _Good. Maybe she did this._

At that, Paulo opened the door at his side, let his whole body out of the track with only his right leg and hand supporting his body. He dangled himself and looked at the two people in the car. They don't look familiar—maybe just some hired gunmen. He leveled his gun and aimed at the front wheels of the blue car. _BANG! BANG!_The tires popped and the driver lost control of the vehicle until it crashed on a nearby highway fence.

"WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?" Michelle blurted out as he got slide inside of the truck again and shut his door.

"What? We lost them now. Not happy with that?" he answered back as he checked their side view mirrors to verify that.

"Getting your whole body out of the truck? Are you insane? They could've shot you!"

Natsume grabbed the steering wheel and motioned for them to switch places again. Mikan slide to his side as he took over the driving. "Calm down now, will you? You casted some sort of a bulletproof shield to the whole truck so I took advantage of it."

Mikan who was covering her eyes with her palms and weeping uncontrollably at that time looked at him warily. "I _did_?"

"Who else could've done it?" _Sigh, she's crying again._

"My head hurts. My leg hurts. My chest hurts. Don't do that again!" she said as she continued to weep. "You almost gave me a heart attack!"

_And it pains me to see you hurt, _Natsume thought. "Dry yourself. We're safe for now."

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"I didn't get the license plate—I don't think there's any. But it was an old dark blue car, maybe from a Rent-a-Car shop or something. Check it out on the high-way, it probably is still there," Agent Paulo told Jinx over the phone.

After another couple of hours driving earlier away from their latest life-and-death incident, Natsume pulled over a gasoline station from exhaustion. He also needed to do so to contact his superiors and let them know about their situation.

Mikan was ordered to stay in the truck while Natsume went out '_to buy some meds for her pain_'. _Yeah, right_. She was waiting impatiently—especially now that she saw him talking to someone over the phone.

"Uhuh, yeah. . . Hm, I haven't thought of that. I'll check it, though. Thanks Ruca," and with that, he placed the phone back at the booth.

"Who did you talk to?" Mikan asked Natsume as he handed her a paperbag of supplies over her window.

"The cashier?" he answered coolly as he climbed up the truck again. "Now give me your foot. I'll change the bandages."

Mikan complied as she handed him the bandages and tape from the paperbag. "I saw you talking to someone on the booth."

"Tch, you spied on me?" the agent teased. "I bought you some painkillers. Drink 'em."

Michelle just raised her eyebrow.

_The 'I-know-better-than-that-look', huh. _He smirked and started to unwrap the bandage. "Alright. I just reported to Wade."

"To Jinx again? Why does he always have to know where we are?" She asked, frustrated. "I still don't trust him."

He creased his forehead. "I don't know where those instincts of yours towards Ruca came from, but you _can_ trust him—that I guarantee you," he answered back as he held towards her a small circular metal chip he fished out of Mikan's old bandage. _Damn, he was right._

She reached and took it. "What's this?" she asked as she scrutinized the thing.

"A tracking device. The doctor or maybe some nurse who attended to your wounds earlier must have put it," he said as he analyzed it himself. _So we got infiltrated by the enemy earlier…_

Michelle frowned at it. So this is how the bad guys caught up with them again. "How do you know it wasn't Ashley or Jinx who put it? They were with us at the clinic."

"It was Jinx who thought of checking your bandages. He wouldn't have tipped me if he was the one tracking us." _Well, I don't know about Ashley. Tch, I must inform Ruca about that._

Mikan let out a sigh as Natsume tied and finished her bandages. "I still don't trust them."

"Does that mean that you trust me completely?" he asked as he started the engine and got on the road again. Silence enveloped them.

It took a while before she answered back. "Yeah, I guess. After all, you're the _only one_ I've got now," she responded in a soft voice while looking out the window, staring blankly at nothing.

Natsume caught this on the side of his eyes. Seeing her like that, looking far away… so scared, vulnerable and gentle, he just wanted to reach out to her and hold her in his arms.

Mikan looked at his direction and smiled, as if knowing what he's been thinking. "Thanks again, for today."

This caught our manly agent off guard and made him clench his hands more at the steering wheel as he blushed madly. Good thing it's getting dark now—Mikan couldn't have seen him flush. He'll die if she sees.

"So where are we heading now?" Michelle asked in a business-toned voice.

"Somewhere we could be safe," he let her know. He hated it, but this is the only place he culd think of where she could be safe, and at the same time help her regain her memories—and bring back painful memories, for him.

"A safe place? That's new. And where is that?"

"Our old home."

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**Author's Note:**

**I'm back again!**

**Thank you for reading!**

It's been more than a year since my last update and I will can't promise to finish this story quickly for I am out of plot now. HAHA.

Still, I am doing this for my best friend.

This chap's kind of boring (and short?), but I still wish you enjoyed it.

Reviews will be much appreciated! :D


	9. Mission 08

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Alice Academy. And yes, this story has been inspired by a book with my own imagination incorporated to it.

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**Mission Part 08**

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**:…:  
**

Natsume has been driving overnight again. He's tired, sleepy, and really_ tired_. But he wouldn't stop the truck—not until they arrive at their destination. Stopping might cost them their life, for who knows? Someone might see them and recognize the sleeping lady with him. The long lost _Alice Goddess._

Mikan's been asleep for long now. He doesn't mind. She needs her sleep anyway, and it might help her rest her mind and regain her memories._ Tch__, m__emories_. Why is he the only one left with these s_weet and painful recalls_? And with that, he can't even get the answers he wanted to know from her.

A few more hours later and they entered the state of Texas. Somewhere very far from the main roads, a glorious ranch type estate welcomed them. He drove through the rocky earth driveway towards the wooden lodge-like house in the middle of some vast grassy plains. Michelle woke from her sleep because of the ragged motion of the truck against the rough surface of their land.

"Where are we?" she asked as she tried to see past the blinding sun rays.

"Rise and shine, _mi amour_," he said as he stopped at the front door of the house. "We're home."

With that, Mikan tried real hard to see her surroundings. She stepped outside the truck carefully. She saw endless plains and no nearby houses. A few trees from here and there. Some horses, cows, and other domestic animals roaming freely in the meadows. You won't hear anything but the wind's breeze, some animals mooing and birds chirping—no noisy traffic, no heavy mechanical churn of any equipment. A quiet piece of land away from the world—it seem that they've disconnected from all the danger and settled in a sunny, tranquil place. _Home._

_Wow_, Michelle thought. _Is there anything more peaceful?_

"Pretty, huh?" he asked as he saw her take in the beauty of it. "Of course it is. We built it. And here, we're practically invisible to the whole world," Paulo informed her. "Roam freely as you want. Stumble here and there, _mi vida_, and you might feel some memories hunt you back."

"What do you mean invisible?"

"Well," Natsume started as he gets the gym bag from the truck. "You picked this place when we got married. A bright, sunny place. We bought it and made it into this—our _safe harbor_. No one can see nor enter this place except for us."

She was at awe. "Only _us_?"

"Hm, there are some exceptions. Our trusted friends."

_And who are they?_ Mikan thought. _Trusted._ At this point in her life, even the people that she trusts the most are all strangers to her. Everyone in this world now, except from Natsume, is a _stranger_. And there's only Natsume to fill her in with everything. He's the only one she trusts now.

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After showering, and finally having some normal clothes on, Mikan wandered around the house. There's a spacious living room, a kitchen (that seems so alien to her), an entertainment room, a library, a control room (with all the weird wiring, computers, screens and everything), a pool, and about five rooms upstairs all having a their own majestic bathrooms and balconies with a great view of the estate. There's even a lake at the back side of the house, down a small hill.

She entered the largest room. Apparently, _their _room. A drawer table near the closet holds many frames, standing proud, as if saying to her '_we are your filed memories'._ Photographs. Lots of them. There are some from their wedding. Some vacations. Some family and friends gathering… wow, she even encircled the whole world according to a cork board with a world map hanging on the wall.

There were so many Polaroid shots of she and he pinned on every possible space on the map. She's always smiling from ear to ear to the camera, evident of her radiant happiness as they capture that moment together from their latest destination spot. While her husband always does the same pose in every shot—arms around his wife, making it look that he's hugging his_ whole_ world, and planting a kiss on her hair. Yes, he did this on _every_ pic,_ every_ place.

That touched her heart. _We loved each other. We were happy. _Mikan reached for a photo, pinned on Tokyo, Japan. Here, it's obvious that they were very much younger than today. They were wearing a black long-sleeved uniform with blue plaid skirt and pants. And with them, some other students posing enthusiastically for the camera. She recognized Ruca as one of them, holding hands with a short ebony-haired and purple-eyed girl. _Middle school, _she thought as a tear escaped her eyelids.

Natsume, who just entered the room looking for her, saw this. "Hey, what's wrong?" he asked as he paced towards her and reached for her hand and waist for support.

She looked at him and cried more. "I know them," she said with a rough and tearful voice as she showed him the picture in hand. "I know that I know them! But really, I_ don't!_"

He saw the pain and sadness in her eyes. _God_, this is not what he hoped for. Before he found her, all he thought about was how would they easily patch things up and go back to their normal lives, _together_. He didn't imagine how hard would that be, since their love was so strong, he believed it could defy anything. Well, that's the problem. _Was_. And now that she's got no background about herself, it's a lot more complicated than he expected.

"Shh, it's alright. Don't force yourself. Take it easy," he said as he tries to soothe her wife and pats her hair.

"I want to know who I was. _What_ I was!"

_Sigh_. If there's really one thing Natsume couldn't take, it's his wife's cry. Seeing this big, fat salty tears run down her flushed cheeks. It just pains him a hundred and one times more the way it pains her. And the fact that he can't do anything about it, can't find the right words to stop it, makes him feel worse.

He hugged her and rests her head on his chest. "Calm down, it's fine. I was once that lost, like you now. But you,"—he raised her chin to look straight into her eyes—" you _found_ me and _saved_ me."

At that, Mikan's sobs abruptly stopped. Her lips formed a small gap and her eyes went blank. Something echoes in her head.

"_It's okay baby. Daddy's gonna find and save us."_

Her visions blur and her pulse rises again. It's as if something plays in her head, but she couldn't clearly make it out. It's as muddy and cloudy as the lake where she almost drowned.

"_After this, daddy's gonna come and get us? I'll be able to see him now?" a little boy's voice asked._

_"Yes, baby. We'll just have to believe he will, okay? Do you trust me and dad?"_

_"Yes, mommy."_

And then, she fainted.

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**Author's Note:**

**Thank you for reading!**

I've had a lot of free time today so I managed to make a new chap. Kind of short again, but I don't want to bore you. What do you guys think?

Also, thank you for those who have _subscribed _to this story and as well to those who have _listed it to their favorite stories_. :] THANK YOU so much!

So, is it good? Or lousy? **Reviews will be much appreciated**!

I'm relying on my reader's comments to work on my story. :D

**PS.** I have re-read my story so far and noticed some typographical and grammatical errors. Sorry for those. I'll try to be better and much more careful next time.


	10. Mission 09

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Alice Academy. And I forgot the title of the book that inspired me to do this FanFic. Sorry. :[

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**Mission Part 09**

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**:…:**

_"Sweetheart, hurry," Mikan said._

_"But mommy," a little boy protested. "Where are we going to? I'm still sleepy..." he whined as he let out a big yawn._

_Mikan felt guilty. He's just a child who needs his sleep. She checked her phone: it's a quarter past two in the morning. "Sorry baby. But we got to get moving again." She grabbed their small luggage bag—filled with just a change of clothes for him and a lot of fake documents—and carried it on her shoulder. She scooped her child up and carried him while she dialed with her free hand._

_"Brother, it's me. Sorry for calling this early. Emergency—he accidentally used his alice the other day. Someone saw and reported us."_

_"Where are you? Are you both safe?" Tsubasa asked, clearly now fully awake from his slumber._

_Mikan yanked the door of their rented apartment shut, pacing as fast as she could. "Yes, yes, we're safe as of now. I don't know about that later." She bit her lip with her own bluntness. "We need to separate now. I fear they might know."_

_"Got it. I'll take him," Tsubasa assured her. "Be careful. Send me your location and I'll pick him up."_

_"Thanks, nii-chan," and with that, Mikan hung-up and punched like mad a text message to Tsubasa of their meeting place. She hit send then burned the phone right then and there, on her hand._

_"Are we in trouble again, mommy?"_

_"I think so. Sorry for this cupcake," she apologized again as she kissed his hair._

_"Is it because I burned a book the other day at the store?" he asked again, this time, crying._

_"No, it's okay baby. You just have to stay with uncle for a couple of days so I can arrange some things," she assured him. "And then, daddy's gonna find and save us."_

_"After this, daddy's gonna come and get us? I'll be able to see him now?"_

_"Yes, baby. We'll just have to believe he will, okay? Do you trust me and dad?"_

_"Yes, mommy."_

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Mikan stirred. She's awake now, and aware that she's been lying on a bed. But still, she can't open her eyelids. As if opening it will make her forget the dream she just had. No, she _wants_ to dream more. I need to know more…

"Mikan, are you okay?" a female voice asked her. The woman's beside her bed, she can tell.

Footsteps. Then, Natsume's voice was heard. "Is she awake now?"

"I think so," the woman replied.

Now that she's certain that Natsume's nearby, she forced her eyes open. She tried to sit up while adjusting her eyes to see the people around her clearly. Natsume helped her and put a pillow on her back. He sat beside her, supporting her limp body.

"Natsume… " she acknowledged him. She saw Ruca on his side, too. And on the other side of the bed was…

"_Hotaru?_"

"WOAH! She knows you!" Ruca exclaimed. "This is a breakthrough!"

Natsume was surprised, too. Does her wife really love her best friend that much to be able to recognize her _at first sigh_t_? But not her own husband?_

"Mikan…" Hotaru whispered as she kneeled bedside her and took her hand. "Do you remember things now?"

Mikan thought hard. Aside from her dream and the fact that she recognized this girl, she still isn't sure who Ruca is. Damn, she isn't even sure what that dream was. Was it a recollection or what? She looked at Natsume and said, "No. I still don't. But I _know_ her name… how is that?"

_Tch,_ so maybe she loves Hotaru than her own husband. "I think your memory's taking its first steps on coming back to you. Thanks Hotaru, for tapping into her head."

"Hey, I did nothing."

"Oh, I thought you hit her with your Baka-gun."

Hotaru smiled and didn't fuss about the_ Kuro-neko'_s teasing. She's happy Mikan knows her. "How do you feel? You've been lying in there since yesterday when Natsume called us."

"Fine, I guess," was her weak reply. She knows her name, but other than that, nothing. "I'm sorry but, how are we… _connected_?"

"Aw, bummer. False alarm," Ruca frowned. "She just knows your name."

"Shut up blondie," Hotaru hushed him—she kind of expected this from her dense Mikan. She offered an assuring smile to Mikan. "I'm your best friend."

Mikan let it sink. _Yeah, that sounds right_. She know it deep down, this woman is telling the truth. With that, she turned to Natsume. "Have you contacted Tsubasa? Will?"

"No, not yet," Natsume recalled. "We can't reach him, wherever he is. Why?"

"I need to speak to him."

"Why, do you remember anything, Mikan?" Ruca interjected with his voice like a boss now.

She isn't sure about that. Whatever that dream was, she needs Tsubasa to confirm it. But should she tell them about her dream? She weighed her options. Well, if that dream was true, it showed no sign of her running to Natsume or Ruca or Hotaru for that child's… protection. She just called her brother and asked for his help, no one else. She figured she did that on purpose—if that situation ever really happened. And again… is it really _her child_? How come Natsume said they don't have one?

"No. I don't. But I got the feeling I should talk to him," she lied. "I'm worried about him."

"Don't be. He's a grown up man now," Natsume comforted her.

"Still, he's been missing, too" Mikan argued.

"Alright. We'll do whatever we can to trace him and have you a word with him," Jinx approved. "Let's go do some work Natsume."

Mikan waited until it was just her and Hotaru before she spoke again. "Can you help me?"

"In every way that I can," she answered.

"Then, can you give some answers?"

"That depends on your questions, Mikan. I haven't seen in you in… I think more than two years now."

_Oh. _Well that makes perfect sense. It seems to her that she never asked for anyone's help, till that day when she called Will. Seems like it's only him who can answer her about… that _child_.

"Hm, okay. How about our marital problems? Me and Natsume?" she inquired carefully. "Why do you think I would hide from my own husband?"

"Well, you've hidden from everyone, Mikan. But I can only think of one argument you had with Natsume before you left," she remembered. "And it made you really upset."

Mikan braced herself. "What is it?"

"About your pregnancy."

_Bingo. _"So I really did have a child?"

"No, no," Hotaru quickly responded. "I'm sorry."

Mikan was confused. "But… I don't get it? I was…"

Hotaru sighed and cut her in midsentence. "It was just hysterical pregnancy. You called me a couple of days before you were gone and asked me to chaperone you for a check-up. We did and went to a doctor. We got the results the next day."

"_Pseudocyesis?" _Mikan asked. _Damn_, if she wasn't really pregnant, was the child in her dream… just a _dream_?

"Yes," Hotaru confirmed. "You were very down after that—you've been wanting a baby all your life. Well, Natsume took it as good news. He was relieved."

Another shock. "He was happy I wasn't really pregnant?"

"Well… yes," Hotaru answered after thinking what she should tell her. She cursed Natsume for not having this conversation with her best friend, leaving her to be the one to explain everything.

"But… why?" Mikan is close to tears now. "_What kind of a husband is he_ for _not _wanting a child with me?"

"That's exactly why you we're upset at him. Mad even," she said as an afterthought. "It's because of his sister he doesn't want to be a father."

"He's got a sibling?" she asked. Why would this person—her own sister in law—be a big issue about her _own_ family. "What's her name?"

"Aoi."

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**Author's Note:**

**Thank you for reading!**

I've been pretty worked up with this story. HAHA, now I just type my story as it goes into my mind. Hope that I'll finish this soon

(but there are still so many details I need to unfold here. xD)

Also, thank you for my new subscribers, listers and readers. :] THANK YOU so much!

So, is it good? Or lousy? Reviews will be much appreciated!

I'm relying on my reader's comments to work on my story. :D


	11. Mission 10

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Alice Academy.

**:...:**

**:…:**

**Mission Part 10**

**:…..:**

**:…:**

Mikan tried to process all the information she just got from her best friend. There's too many things rampaging on her mind now—things that are being knocked on softly by Hotaru's cooperative behavior on answering her questions. She tried to hold her tears back. She knows these won't let her think more clearly. And she feels that her best friend is just as lost and pained as she is. Mikan tried to be stronger and pushed a little more. After all, no one has been very accommodating to her since she was saved by Natsume—only her best friend trusts that she can handle these things that she let her know, so she's not going to stop asking even if her head might just crack into halves right then and there.

"Aoi," Michelle repeated. "Tell me about her."

"Well, she's an alice, too. She's Natsume's younger sister. They got separated when Natsume's just young and Aoi's still a baby—he was brought to study at the academy while she was taken as a hostage to force Natsume do dirty and illegal things for our school when it was still controlled by the dark administration," Hotaru paused and tried to remember more. "You were the one who first saw where Aoi was hidden back then, therefore leading to her freedom. But that still stuck to Natsume—his sister's kidnapping and wasted years at the academy's dungeon and the work that the academy gives to those powerful alices at a young age. He doesn't want for any child to lose their childhood—not a single soul again. So he was really against the idea of another generation of suffering alices. He envisions it as another batch of children who'll just agonize from the gift of supernatural powers they never asked for in the first place."

Mikan was silent. She felt a tug in her heart for Aoi, and also for Natsume's past. She understands now her husband's side. She kind of remembers it—his missions, his degrading health before when he was still under the academy's illegal works, the bitter years a little girl spent untouched by the sunshine—she see flashbacks of it. She shudders. She can remember the look and the smell of blood, tears, fear and all.

But who wouldn't fear for the future of an offspring of two Alice Deities? It'll be the most targeted child the world will ever see. But still, aren't they both strong enough to face whatever harm their child may encounter in life? No use of arguing that for now—she's sure she had used that point in one of their fights over this 'building a family' talk.

Hotaru tried to soothe her. "But all is in the past now. Don't fret."

Yes, and that's what frustrates her. The things that she should know by heart are now trapped in her head like a chick still inside its shell. It still needs to be warmed up before it can fully go out to the real world.

"So, are there any more issues between us that I should know about?"

"Hmm... as far as I know, there's not a single argument—big or small—that you both didn't handle very well," She patted the back of Mikan's hand, evidently showing sadness in her face. "But then again, you ran away Mikan. From _all _of us."

_Right._ And that's one thing she should know why now. But of course, Hotaru can't help her with that now.

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_Somewhere in the East Coast of the country…_

_PZZING! PZZING!_

_Damn, how did they know me? _the man thought as he stopped from running and dodging some bullets for a while to catch his breath. Unarmed and in a cover-up, he cannot fathom how the bad guys caught up with him again. The world is getting smaller and smaller every minute. One moment you were just taking your dog for a walk and the next minute, you may be running for your life.

He set his legs to run again and to jump over fences. He's been exhausted and has been trespassing on the neighborhood's properties just to get out of his pursuers' sight. _It's a goddamned residential area! Aren't they even scared of killing other people or being arrested by the police when someone reports a live shoot out going on around here?_

Bullets kept flying. Glasses get shattered. The floras of the neighborhood's gardens are now being turned into a total mess. He tried to run, duck, and just run. The sun's still high yet these killers aren't the vampire types—the kind that attacks only at night to conceal their job. These two men running behind their target clearly radiates the _we'-don't-give-a-damn-even-if-fucking-get-caught-in-this-crime-just-as-long-as-we-kill-him_ message.

He prayed for her sister's safety. He prayed for his nephew's safety. He prayed for her girlfriend's safety. And God, he prayed for a little miracle to happen for him to survive this killing spree.

And then, a siren was heard from down the street. He crouched down and tried to run-while-your-tummy-is-lying-flat-on-the-pavement towards the sound's direction. And at last, he saw the patrol car and jumped before it—feeling as if it's a vehicle sent from heaven just to rescue him. Well, without his powers, he's quite sure he'd die unarmed if there weren't anyone to help him. The police came out of the vehicle and recognized him. He was quickly ordered to get inside while the back-ups arrive and went on to search for the bad guys.

He smirked as he thanked God on being so generous for saving him. He told the officers everything and it's understood that he'll be with them for now—he's a special case that needs to be protected. God, he never actually thought that revealing himself to the authorities again would be today. He made a mental note to himself that he needs to warn somebody about this incident. And with that, he exhaustedly gave his whole weight to the backseat. He thought about where could have his dog ran off and where would it be staying now? _The poor thing_. Well, he couldn't fuss over a dog now. He put up his forearm in front of his face, covering it and the unmistakable star tattoo below his left eye.

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"Well, what about Agent Wade? Don't we get along? Do I have any issues with him?" Mikan asked.

Hotaru raised her eyebrow. She was confused with the tone Mikan used to ask her. "What's with that question?"

Mikan bit her lip. "Well, I don't trust him."

Hotaru's purple eyes widened. Among all the men in this world (with the exception of Natsume and her family), Ruca was also Mikan's best friend. All four of them are. "You don't trust him? Why? Wait—did blondie do something nasty to you?" she asked as she cracked her knuckles, almost ready to give Ruca a good beating. "Because if he did, I would really call our wedding off for real now."

Mikan was shocked. "Wait, what? He's your _fiancé_?"

"Oh, didn't you remember that when you remembered me?"

"NO! Oh, God... how could I doubt him? He's your... my best friend's... and yet—"

"Stop! Hold it right there, girl. Now, if I were to choose between you and blondie, I have long decided that my best friend is more important," she winked at Mikan. "Putting off our wedding since you were gone, doesn't that prove to you that you're more dear to me? So let me hear your side and I might just really throw this whole engagement thing."

Mikan was touched. She didn't know she owed this much to Jinx and to her best friend as well. God, her absence made Hotaru postpone their marriage after all this years. She now took notice of the simple silver band in Hotaru's left ring finger. A little diamond stone shines at her, as if talking to her conscience for making it be worn by its owner for so long now; not a typical lifespan for an _engagement ring_. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know," she apologized. "But... I really have a strong sense of detachment to him. Like every inch of me doubts him the moment I saw him back at the clinic when Natsume have saved me."

Hotaru was hurt, but still, she knows there's a reason behind it. And Mikan is no fool to joke about things like this. Also, she knows that Mikan's always been an easy giver of trust. She trusts almost everyone and everything back then that it almost costs it her life. But, yeah, things have changed now. And she's going to find out what sparked this mistrust between her best friend and her beloved.

She remembered that Ruca was the last person Mikan talked to before she vanished. Of course, at first he was questioned for that, but nothing has been pointed out to make Ruca the reason for her disappearance. _Have he really made Mikan go away?_ she mentally asked herself. Seeing her best friend now in person, and being able to talk to her, she was relieved more than ever. But Mikan's appearance now doesn't erase the fact that Ruca have been searching mad for her after she was gone—unknown to Natsume's knowledge. He also tried to hide it from her as well, his pursuit to locate Mikan and all. But of course, who could hide anything to the Queen of Spying? But then again, he had successfully hidden from her the _reason_ behind why he's been looking for her _secretly._

She mentally smacked her head. She's so lost now. She doesn't know whom to question now. She thought that maybe this is the feeling of a person who's got an amnesia like Mikan—who tries to get information from the people around her. And when she's got some of it, trying to piece every detail together seems to be like trying to locate the right direction in a perfectly white room. You've got no reference point, and you'll never know where to start looking if everything looks just _like_ everything else. It's a clean slate. It's dizzying that it makes her vision blur a little. The thought of choosing sides for her is sickening. _There must be some explanation for this—and please, God, let it be a good one._

She was about to ask Mikan more about this—to try to get to the bottom of it—when the door suddenly opened and revealed Natsume with a wireless phone on hand.

His fist is clutching to the phone, his eyes as deadly as his alice of flames. "Tsubasa called. He said it's crucial that we meet with him ASAP."

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**Author's Note:**

**Thank you for reading!**

Ahhh, I'm running out of words now to explain my revelations here, so sorry for the shortened chaps. _ I just try to unfold my plot one small piece at a time so my readers won't get confused.

[This is for myself, too. xD I'm prone to being confused my my own sewing of plot.]

Also, thank you for my new subscribers, listers and readers. :] And for my avid readers who even give me PMs just to motivate me.

So, is it good? Or lousy? Reviews will be much appreciated!

I'm relying on my reader's comments to work on my story. :D


	12. Mission 11

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Alice Academy.

**:...:**

**:…:**

**Mission Part 11**

**:…..:**

**:…:**

Panic took over Mikan. The sound of her brother's name being uttered by Natsume is deafening. It's like with what little Natsume said, she still knew that something huge lies behind it.

Mikan felt a chill creep on her skin. "Why? Is he in danger?" she asked and she almost wished she hadn't. She wouldn't know what to do if Natsume answered _yes_.

"I'm not sure. He just phoned me real quick. He was using an unsecure line, so he ended our conversation at that. He just said that we need to see him."

Mikan let out her breath—though she wasn't even aware of holding it. That's a good sign:he got the chance to call. Maybe if he's in _real_ danger as for the moment, he wouldn't even be able to call for a meeting.

"Ugh, that shadow man. What's with the urgency now? He's been hiding, too, since she vanished."

Natsume thought of that, too. "We'll never know unless we face him ourselves. Besides, it makes sense—Mikan's here now, and technically, she's the reason he's been hiding himself. Now that she's revealed herself, might as well resurface, too."

"So, where to?" Mikan asked as she stood up and readied herself.

It was Ruca who answered who was at the door now, too. "He didn't say the place. But I searched for him after that call and I got a confirmation that he's under the custody of the FBI in Georgia."

"Under _custody_?" Hotaru repeated.

"Yes," Jinx confirmed. "I reviewed their recently filed report over him on why he was under their care and it seems that he almost got killed just a few hours ago."

"What? How?" was Mikan's quick inquiry.

"A shoot out. There were two pursuers—maybe some hired gunmen. Don't worry, both of the criminals were arrested and has been put under monitoring and questioning."

"But, why? And who's behind it?" Mikan cried.

"I'm sorry, I can't answer that for now," Ruca said apologetically. "The two gunmen wouldn't give out their superiors, but a team has been organized to work on that."

Mikan flopped on the bed again, sitting while clutching her head. Everything's happening everywhere. Nobody related to her will ever be safe, she thought. And though she's not the one inflicting these dangers to her loved ones, she still feels responsible for it. _How did I even muster the courage to leave them all unprotected when I was gone?_

Hotaru noticed Mikan and came up to her to hug her.

"Can you give me that report Jinx?" Natsume asked.

"I got you a copy of that at your desk. Get dressed, all of you. We'll be flying to Georgia in less than half an hour."

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The four of them boarded a private plane after they readied themselves. They've been aboard for an hour now and they'll reach their destination in another one. Mikan is sitting beside the plane's right wing window, staring off at the clouds and the plains below. She knows that this might be the last quiet time she'll ever get for who-knows-how-long it'll take to set things to be _normal_ again. But then again, she's an Alice. They're all Alices. And she and her husband are deities. Maybe the term normal will never be fit to paint their lives. Their lives can never be _normal_.

Natsume sat beside her after planning with Ruca at the office room of the plane. He noticed his wife's distant thoughts and decided to knock on them. "What's wrong?"

Mikan did not budge her sight from the window as she answered. "Nothing. It's just that I've been thinking… when will be the next time that I'll experience some nice and quiet time…" she trailed off. She smiled a little to herself, as if she's hearing herself making a joke—like she's asking Santa for a snow at this time of the year.

He knows what she meant, and it was every Alice's dream, too. "You know you can do that. Remember, you can do anything."

"Yes, but not everything. Apparently, I can't secure and protect all my loved ones."

"You're right about that, but haven't you got it? That's been you're job since we founded the Supreme Alice Deities. And when you were gone and now that you're back but frail, it is our turn now—to protect you," he explained as he held her hand. "You don't need to do everything all by yourself. You were never alone, and you'll never be."

Mikan faced him. Shocked at his words, it seems that it wasn't the first time she'd heard of that affirmation. '_You were never alone, and you'll never be._'

"Your proposal," she whispered as she held her hands to her lips.

Natsume chuckled. "You remember _that_?"

Mikan smiled at a vague flashback of it in her mind. "We were in the Eiffel Tower. I got on the elevator and you didn't because of the crowd who pushed me at the back," she laughed lightly at herself, feeling that day all over again. "I was scared and nervous, being alone with so many people there whom I cannot understand! French, Italians, and everything… and then… I started to cry. But when the elevator opened at the top of the tower, there you were… waiting for me. Soaked in sweat and huffing like mad…"

"Of course. I never intended to go to Paris just to view it without you. But I also never imagined that I must race with an elevator just to do that."

Mikan smiled and looked at him in the eyes. "And when I got off, I ran into your sweaty arms and chest, feeling like a little girl who just saw her mommy."

"Yes, that indeed was how I pictured you, so I did not let that elevator reach the top before me. I knew you'd be crying," Natsume teased.

"But still, you proposed to that sobbing little girl," she countered.

"Because that's the perfect moment to do it. Though it was spontaneous and unplanned, we both knew that that moment marked a very obvious reason—we both need each other. And I don't intend to hand you over to those tourists who keep glancing at you while we take our moment in the City of Love."

"No one was glancing at me!" she defended.

"Oh, right. They were staring at you. I'm sorry."

"HA-HA. Very funny, mister."

"Still, I've let you know that you were never alone, and will never be."

Mikan smiled. "Yes. And it was true."

"Very," he assured her.

"Thank you, for keeping that promise."

Natsume grimaced. "Don't thank me yet. I missed three years of your life. I hardly got to keep that promise."

She shook her head. "I don't think we were really ever apart," she whispered almost just to herself. But Natsume didn't miss it. He put his arms around her as she adjusted herself to cuddle closer to her husband. He planted a kiss on her hair, keeping in her scent and exhaling a soft breath against her scalp.

"So what do you suggest I do? As to how will I conclude this Alice blackout?" Mikan asked. She'd been thinking more about this lately. For her, the end of this blackout era will also end _this_.

Natsume pondered. "What do you want to hear? My opinion as a Deity or as your husband?"

Mikan smiled at this. "Both."

"Hmm, as a Deity, I vote not to revoke our powers. But also we must renew all the rules on how we govern our people as not to anger the ordinary in the future again," he answered diplomatically, in a business-as-usual tone. "I don't think giving up our alices will ever make them revolt against us again. So either way, there'll always be a dispute over the strong and the weak and it'll be harder for us to counter them without our alice."

Of course, Mikan understood this. Natsume does not want to be superior over other people, but it'll be twice as hard for them to face any wrath without their life-long companion: their own powers. "And your say as my husband?"

"I say that you should trust yourself. I know that above all people, deep inside, you know just exactly what to do."

This soothed her. But she also wished he was right, that she knows _exactly_ what to do for she isn't so sure about it herself.

She knows they're both still on 'unknown' terms, but a little husbandly act wouldn't hurt, she assured herself. Besides, it's what she needs as of the moment: comfort. And he's just right here to provide just that. So she let herself forget all her worries, drifting to sleep in his protective arms. _Even just for now, please. Let me have my own peace and quiet._

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_I never thought I'll be able to hold you in my arms again like this, _Natsume thought. He's almost close to tears now with the overpowering feeling of longing that he's been keeping inside which intensified more since the day he found Mikan.

_I'm sorry, Mikan. I've failed to be there for you for years. I'm sorry…_

And with that, he also let himself drift to slumber—knowing that his heart is ready and armed for whatever he'll face next, for in that moment, he had his whole world in his arms again.

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Hotaru is also sleeping now in a recliner opposite to Natsume and Mikan. Ruca stood by the office door, looking at his most precious girl, and to his most treasured friends. Comfort struck him as he saw these three most important people in his life all within his vision's range; all safe and sound, as if nothing could ever break their tranquility.

But also, pain overwhelmed him while he looked at his best friend.

_I'm so sorry, Natsume. I've deprived you of this happiness for years. I'm sorry…_

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**Author's Note:**

**Thank you for reading!**

Sorry for the uber laaaaaaaaaaate update. I can't apologize enough (like how Natsume and Ruca did in the last part. HAHA!) to my readers! But still, again, SORRY!

Also, special thanks to**_ Pwenie_**! Thanks for your messages, and I can't just let you wait for nothing, eh? So here, and thanks for bearing with me! :D

So, is it good? Or lousy? **Reviews will be much appreciated!**


	13. Mission 12

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Alice Academy.

**:...:**

**:…:**

**Mission Part 12**

**:…..:**

**:…:**

It's almost dusk when their plane landed. They travelled by car—complete with four other identical black cars for security—to the FBI office where Will was being held. Mikan did not like the idea, but since it was _her_ and another Deity that is travelling, the agency did not obey whatever she has to say. They are not taking any chances of losing the most important person in the world, again, as for the moment.

"Aren't we just being more suspicious here?" she debated. "Five black cars complete with the FBI seal for everyone to see, driving in a single, perfect line. What a way of saying 'Hey, back off! We've got VIPs here'."

Natsume sighed. "That's why there's five, _mi vida_. If someone will try to sabotage us, they'll have to flip five vehicles first to see where the hell you are."

Still, Mikan was more anxious than ever. She feels like this entourage is her personal service that'll deliver them to danger.

And when she heard gunfire and realized that their tires have just blown up, she knew she was right. Their car stumbled and banged on other vehicles until it skidded into a halt at the center aisle of the road. Damn, she was dead right.

"Mikan! Are you alright?" Natsume shouted even though they're just practically just a foot away, both still strapped in their seatbelts.

"I told you Natsume! You should've listened to—"

"I know that now already! Are you hurt?"

"N—no," she answered, though actually she is. She banged her head at the window side of the car, which was bulletproof. _So much for protecting me! It did not! IT HURT ME! _She cursed the one-inch thick glass on her mind. It made her vision hazy.

Natsume tried to recover from their spin and started unbuckling himself. "Get off your seatbelt and stay low. I'm checking outside," he ordered. But then, their driver and the _security personnel_ that's been sitting in the passenger's seat faced them, both sticking out a gun pointed on their faces.

Both of them froze in disbelief. _We're doomed_, Mikan thought. And in a split second—even before they could react to this turn of events in front of them—both guns have shot them, but instead of a banging loud noise and a ghastly pain from a bullet that they're expecting, they only felt an insect like bite on some side of their throat.

Natsume automatically reached for Mikan's hand. And with that, both of them slumped into unconsciousness.

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Mikan stirred. She tried to focus her vision but to no avail. Wherever she is, she's being blinded by _whiteness_. White walls, white gurney, white scrubs that she's wearing now, white wires tangled all over her body, and everything else just seems to be white. And except from the regular beating of a medically looking contraption beside her, a deafening silence engulfs her—and it made her more sick though she wasn't aware that she is in the first place.

She looked up everywhere to where her range of vision can reach. There's a white curtain hanging from the ceiling just beside her that seems to separate her from another gurney—another person.

"N—Natsume?" she tried.

There was no response.

She tried to sit up, only to notice for the first time that she's been bound by shackles in her bed's side bars. "_Ugh! _What the hell?"

A voice intercom interrupted her annoyed words. _Bzzt. _"It would be for the better if you wouldn't try to sit up, dear. We're not yet done examining you."_ Click._

"Who are you? And examining _what_?" she yelled back, frustrated.

_Bzzt. _"Be still, Michelle. It is us who's going to do the questioning here."_ Click._

That didn't please her. _I've heard that voice before_, she thought. "You can't restrain me! I demand to be freed right this minute!"

No one answered back. Mikan's getting impatient so she tried to use her alice. After several futile attempts, she realized that she's in a somewhat a _nullifying_ environment. It is evident that whoever seized her has readied their selves and equipped their area for the right person.

Seconds, minutes, or maybe hours have passed. Who knows? Mikan is still dizzy from all the whiteness. She was about to fall asleep again from headache when she heard a heavy metal door clunk into life, as if opening a deep dungeon. Then it slammed shut again, followed by heavy footsteps that only a stiletto shoes can make. Mikan knew that whoever this person is, she's heading her way. And then she saw her.

Mikan gasped. "_Ashley?_"

The ATF agent laughed softly as she flipped her hair onto the back of her right shoulder. "Missed me, Michelle?" she greeted with sarcasm.

Mikan let out a disgusted breath as a response. "The hell I would! Where's Paulo? Alex and Jinx?"

"Sorry. I'm still going to use him so you'll behave, _Kin-chō_. And I did not bother to take those other two. We have no business with them," she let her know. Then, she slammed her palms into Mikan's gurney, trying to scare her. "Now, where is your nullifying alice?"

Mikan was confused. "What?"

"I said _where is it_? Your stone? Where'd you hide it?" Ashley yelled.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Oh cut the crap Michelle! You wouldn't like to witness what I'm capable of doing just so you'll tell me where the hell you hid your stone!"

Mikan gritted her teeth. "But I don't know what you're talking about!"

Ashley walked to the curtain beside Mikan's bed and unveiled the other side of it. There's a gurney and a similar looking machine attached to the limp and unconscious body resting on the bed.

"Nii-chan!" Mikan called out after it hit her who the person lying there is.

"Yes, yes. Will," Ashley whispered into Tsubasa's ears while she soothed his hair. Then she faced Mikan again. "He turned out to be negative for any nullifying stone inside him, just like you."

Mikan is in fury. "What the hell is this _Alice stone_?"

Ashley looked kind of shocked and threw a disbelieving look at Michelle. "Check her MRI earlier. Any signs that she got her memory back?" she called out to no one in particular. But apparently, she was talking to someone watching over them. Then the intercom whirred to life again.

_Bzzt_. "Negative." _Click._

_Damn_, Ashley cursed. _So she's telling the truth_—_she doesn't know what the hell it is, let alone, where the hell did she put it!_

"You're an agent! Aren't you supposed to be on my side, Ashley?" Mikan hissed at her. Though from the beginning, she knew that Ashley was never an ally.

Ashley let out a chilling laugh. "Haven't anyone told you that the best disguise is to work under your enemies' noses?"

She clenched her fists, crumpling the sheets. "How… dare you!"

"How dare _me_? HA! More like how dare _you_ and _your wicked mother_!"

Mikan was caught off-guard by that remark. "My… my _mother_?"

"Yes—that heartless woman! You can't remember the infamous Yuka?"

"I may not recall her, but don't you dare say such filthy words about her!"

Ashley's eyes grew wider, as if Mikan's the one who's wrong by defending her mother. "You wanna know what that woman did to me and to many others who's been captured by her Organization Z?" she challenged Mikan. "I'll tell you! She ruined my life. Our lives! She made us into _Alices_!"

That didn't help Mikan decipher the new revelation she had at hand. _Who is my mother? What the hell is Organization Z?_

Ashley may have read Mikan's mind for she answered the questions that are lurking in her head. "It is from Yuka where you got your Alice Trio—she was the only one who has it before you were born. She was a part of an illegal organization of revolt alices of her time: the Organization Z. One of their programs included stealing alices—sucking out other people's alices then creating stones that'll contain those powers—and putting those alice stones unto other people just to have more manpower for their missions and lesser alices for their enemies," she paused for a while to see if Mikan absorbs this.

Then, she continued. "Being forced into living from then on to be _like _you? You were the ones who started every war this planet has ever witnessed. You control and run this world! You made us look and feel inferior! And to be like you is just… is just plain _unacceptable_! I never wanted to be an Alice!"

Ashley started to sob, but her words are still sharp with anger. "I wanted to be normal again. Being an Alice, it robbed me my life—my normal life! I may have gained these powers, but I lost everything else because of it. And it is your mother's fault and that evil organization of hers!"

Tears flowed silently from Mikan's eyes. She never heard an _ordinary_ person's perspective about them. She never imagined such anger and bitterness can be generated from hate to her kind. Actually, she thought that the common people's anger towards them is from the _envy_ that they feel because of their powers. Well, maybe that's the case for some. But apparently, _not_ for everyone. Some just dislikes them for just being them—for running and somewhat destroying the world that they're living in.

As far as she knows, Alices never intended to be over the common people, and never wanted to be above anyone in the first place. And even though that their main goal was for the better of everyone, their mistakes in the past can never be erased that easily. She felt more guilty for this. It may not be her who did every wrong, but it is her now that represents and governs these people.

"I—I don't know what to say…" Mikan admitted after Ashley's revelation. She cried more. She's an Alice, and she knows how others wish to live _normal_ lives. But it was the first time that she heard someone ask for her normal life _back_. And the thought that Ashley's not the only one who's suffering this, Mikan can't think of a possible amend to offer these people just to pay for the sufferings that they've gone through.

"You don't need to say anything to me! I've long planned for this. The revolt, the Black Out and all! I knew you'd come to a conclusion to have this black out. And now that the key to what I'm after for is just right here at my fingertips," she said as she held Mikan's cheeks in between her thumb and index finger with penetrating force, "I am going to get back all that I've lost and missed!"

_Bzzt_. "We found out something, McGyver." _Click._

Ashley let go of Mikan when she heard this. "What is it?"

_Bzzt_. "Her medical report shows that it seems like that she gave birth a few years back." _Click._

"_What_? You have a child?" Ashley asked Mikan.

She flinched and her pulse quickened with that question. She wasn't even sure about it herself, and the only person who she thinks can confirm this is lying next to her, unconscious. But she thanked heaven for not being able to know anything about this, for if she had, she would have a hard time denying it if it was true. "I don't know," she replied.

"Bullshit!" Ashley cursed. Then, she ordered to someone again, "Search for her past records while she was gone. Apparently, it's not with her. We need to find that child."

"No!" Mikan objected.

"Shut up! It makes sense. If you don't have your alice with you, maybe an offspring might just have inherited the same power. I wouldn't need to bother finding your stone in case I get my hands on your child," Ashley thought aloud and let out a content laugh at her own wickedness. And just as she let that out, sirens started to wail everywhere.

"What is it?" Ashley asked.

_Bzzt_. "They're here! They've got—" _Click._

_Damn. _Ashley ignored started heading back to the door again. She slid a plastic ID and punched a password to open the door from the inside. Then, the door started to unfold itself.

And to the agent's surprise, numerous agents are waiting for her with their guns all pointed at her. Shock and panic took over her, especially when she saw who the team's leader was.

He stepped closer to her with his gun pointed at her temple, letting the gun's cold metal barrel touch her forehead.

Ruca grinned at Ashley. "Boo. Game over, McGyver."

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**Author's Note:**

**Thank you for reading!**

Ok, I'm trying to do as many chaps that I can now for the weekend since my first examination week just ended yesterday! WOOOOH! :D

So, is it good? Or lousy? **Reviews will be much appreciated****!**

**And also, please vote whichever you prefer more:**

Should Mikan _erase/nullify_ all the alices forever to promote equality among everyone now and to attain some _normal_ life?

OR

Should they restore their powers and just govern over the world with more efficacies?

I'm having a hard time deciding on how I'll end my story, so please, HELP ME WITH THIS! TY so much! :]


	14. Mission 13

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Alice Academy.

**:...:**

**:…:**

**Mission Part 13**

**:…..:**

**:…:**

Natsume was in the control room—hands and mouth tied—as he sat there and is unable to do anything but watch as McGyver harass Mikan with her questions and her story. He can perfectly see and hear everything from the live stream and feeds that flash on the monitors as some men assists Ashley from this room. _Damn you, Ashley. Wait till I get my hands on you_, he thought as he watched the evil agent toy Mikan's face between her fingers.

Then, one of Ashley's men interrupted her. _Bzzt_. "We found out something, McGyver." _Click._

"_What is it?"_ was Ashley's reply.

The man who spoke to her checked something from the clipboard that he's holding before he talked back again. _Bzzt_. "Her medical report shows that it seems like that she gave birth a few years back." _Click_

Natsume's eyes widened and his jaw might have hanged open if it wasn't tied. _She has a child?_

"_What? You have a child?"_ he heard Ashley ask Mikan. But as Natsume perceived it, he felt that the question hit him as if it was intended for _him_. _Wait. I have a child? We have a child?_

"I don't know," was his wife's response. That didn't help him. A simple yes or no would have been better.

Ashley cursed and ranted, but Natsume was too busy to care now while he searched in his brain for some answers. _Was she pregnant? _No. The last time they checked, no. And that was a relief to him—and also the start of his nightmare. Mikan vanished months after that downhill ride of their marital status has occurred. This is too much for him. Just plain too much. _Did she have an affair?_ He mentally spanked himself for even thinking of it. _She didn't, she wouldn't, _he assured himself—or so he tried to make himself believe_. Then what if—?_

Natsume's thoughts are interrupted by a loud noise from the door—which has been blown up—and a mass of uniformed agents swiftly filled the room. One of Ashley's people have been able to pass on a warning message—_Bzzt._ "They're here! They've got—" _Click.—_before a blonde man in a black suit clubbed him with his weapon behind his neck. Then, he walked towards our _Kuro-neko_ and untied him.

Natsume smirked at his own father-in-law. "Thanks, Narumi."

"Ha! This is the second time in my lifetime that you ever thanked me, you lad." They both worked on untying the rest of Natsume's body. McGyver's team were easily been taken care of by Narumi's company. The room has been searched and documented on the spot for evidences.

Narumi gave Natsume a knowing look then threw a gun for him to catch. "Hurry. Our damsel's in distress."

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Mikan, Natsume, Tsubasa, Ruca and Narumi have been transported _safely_ to the _real _FBI office. Tsubasa woke up after some meds looked at him—he's been drugged to remain unconscious while Mikan was there when Ashley got her. The siblings now hold each other's hand with Narumi on their side. Natsume was pacing in front of them, anxious. And Ruca, well, he feels twice the intensity that his best friend feels.

Narumi tried to break the silence that's been enclosing all of them. "All has been taken care of. McGyver and the other, uhm, unoriginal Alices have been held in a special holding section, as you wished, Mikan. But they'd still be subjected to trial and will still be considered responsible for their previous actions."

"Where's Hotaru?" Mikan asked.

"She's safe. We weren't captured by them. Actually, she's the one who tracked down their hide out and that's when we—Narumi's and my team—came to rescue both of you, plus Tsubasa," Ruca let her know. "She's working on Ashley's case right now.

"Would you stop walking around?" Mikan asked Natsume. "You're making me dizzy." She can't quite read her husband since they arrived here. She knows that McGyver and her team have been captured and all, so why is he still… _uneasy_?

Natsume stopped on his tracks and stared straightly at Mikan. He knows she's been through a lot of after this kidnapping incident and the confrontation that she and Ashley had, but he can't hold it anymore. "Tell me… do you have a _child_?"

Mikan felt the sting of his words creep under her skin. Her stomach has turned into a tight knot again—it always does when she's being faced with this question. Nonetheless, she still responded with what she truly knows. "I don't know…" she said weakly.

He's over the edge now. "How could you not know such—" he started, but Natsume was cut off by Narumi.

"Hey, take it easy. We all know what she's been through."

"No, no I don't! If I know _everything_ that she's been through before I found her, I wouldn't have to ask this question to her, would I?" he countered, frustrated.

Tsubasa tightened his grip with her sibling's trembling hand. "Haven't you told him?"

Mikan was shocked by this. "Told him what? I haven't got my memories back…"

Tsubasa looked at Narumi who gave him a confirming nod. He looked down, feeling bad for her sister. "So, should I unfold things now?" he asked their father. But before Narumi could respond, Ruca interjected.

"I have something to say first," he announced with a quiet tone. "I think what I'm about to confess is the start of this mess, so… you must hear this story out first, Natsume."

Natsume was lost. Why everyone seems to have something to say or reveal at this moment? Why does everyone seem to know something while he knows absolutely _nothing_? It's like the puzzle that he's been trying to put together has its pieces scattered—or so he thought. Well, he might have looked very far for these, for what it seems now, all the pieces that he needed were just lying _close_ to him.

He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to hold whatever sanity he has left and mustering every patience and understanding that he still has to offer. "Okay, Ruca. You go ahead first," he said. _Please, whatever he has to say, don't make me punch him in the face, _he silently prayed for.

Ruca sighed. "Well, here it goes. It was about three years ago—the day that Mikan left…"

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_Mikan and Ruca is sitting inside a coffee shop, having a small meeting about some internal affairs on their agency. In front of them, their table seem to be too small with all the folders, papers and a lot of other stuffs are being crammed with their cups and pastries._

"_How can we eat with all these, Michelle?" Ruca teased._

"_Shut up, boss. You wanted an impromptu meeting and I want some caffeine and sugar on my system, so deal with it," Mikan responded as she eyed the documents at hand while she shoved the last chunk of her third cheesecake to her mouth. That's what been doing for about an hour now. Chewing, reading, drinking coffee, chewing, and reading again._

_Jinx hooted. "Has Paulo's left nothing on your fridge? You're becoming a glutton."_

_Mikan snorted as she scribbled down something on her pad. "I just hate eating alone, so I'm doing a lot of it while I'm here with you."_

"_Hasn't he come back yet?"_

_Mikan did not reply. Ruca knew better than ask more than that. He knows their marital issues nowadays, anyway. Hotaru wouldn't keep anything from him. And Natsume have kept in touch with him actually, after filing for a leave of absence to take some time of his own—just to get away from their problem's heat. So he's spending as much time as he can with his best friend's wife to check on her regularly, just like what Hotaru does when he's not the one with her. They fear Mikan might do something reckless from the depression she's been going through after her 'hysterical pregnancy'._

_Ruca was reading the files that Mikan handed him when Mikan started to act weird. She looked like she's been sick—not the Mikan that he was talking to just a minute ago. She held her hand onto her mouth, as if trying to hold something back. She stood up and motioned to Ruca that she'll need to use the bathroom._

_After a minute or two, a nervous waitress walked to their table. "Sir, the woman that you are with threw up then passed out in the bathroom."_

"_Oh, shit," he cursed as he raced towards the ladies' room to fetch Mikan. He carried her to his car and went back to the coffee shop to leave a handful of cash to the counter. He showed his ID to the store's manager and instructed him to take care of the things that they left at their table—carefully reminding him that those things were classified and none of those must be leaked or handled without care. He'll send someone later to fetch it for him. Right now, he must take care of Mikan. So, he swiftly got back to his car and drove like mad to the nearest hospital._

_A few hours later, Mikan woke on a hospital room. She frowned at this realization. Ruca approached her bed as she tried to sit up. "What happened?" she asked him._

"_You passed out at the shop."_

"_Then why am I here in a hospital?" Ugh, she never liked a hospital's ambiance._

"_Of course, where else would I send you? Take it easy, Michelle. You're still weak."_

_Mikan smiled at his male best friend's concern. "Ha-ha. I bet I'm still stronger than you, boss. Come on, get me out of here."_

_Ruca hesitated before he responded. "Well, I think the saying 'two is better than one' doesn't apply on you now, Mich."_

_Mikan gave her a puzzled look as she let her legs swing at the edge of her bed and is about to get off of it. "What do you mean?"_

_Ruca gauged her first, assessing if she's stable enough to receive whatever he's about to say next. He figured, Mikan is Mikan. She couldn't be not ready for anything. "You're pregnant."_

_That stopped her from her tracks. But as quickly as that statement shock her; she recovered from it within a jiffy. She's still uncomfortable with this kind of talks—or any conversation that involves babies, conceptions, pregnancy, et cetera—but she's done a great job concealing this uneasiness when she's in front of others. She couldn't believe that Ruca would tease her with her current state (she passed out, as he said so himself). She sighed. "You're seriously torturing me. Has Natsume asked you to do this?" she teased back, letting out a fake laugh._

"_I'm serious. The doctor said so. That's why your appetite increased. And your morning sickness earlier—"_

"_Cut it out. I'm not laughing anymore."_

"_Listen, Mikan! It's true. It's been confirmed. You're about 12 weeks now."_

_Mikan stared at him like he's talking German to her—she couldn't understand a word. Tears start to build up on her lids. "But two months ago, Hotaru and I went to a doctor just to get the opposite message of what you're saying now!"_

"_I know. I know that," Ruca said sympathetically. "Something might have gone wrong with that test. I've requested for an investigation regarding that. But Mikan, here's the truth now."_

_Mikan sat back on her bed, still unable to grasp what Ruca has just told her. She unconsciously wrapped her arms around her belly. She spent countless days and night trying to convince herself that she's been wrong about her pregnancy—that she humiliated herself with that. And now… now…_

"_We should call Natsume," Ruca interrupted her thoughts._

"_NO!" she cried. "No! He'll think it's one of my hysterics again. He'll think—"_

"_He can't do anything about it now, Mikan. It's true this time."_

_No, she still doesn't want for Natsume to find out. A stir of emotions are battling inside her. She feels anger towards the doctor who made her a laughing stock with her previous test. She feels relieved that she knows now that she didn't make things up when she felt she was pregnant. She feels happiness, for herself, for this fulfillment that she achieved and for the life that she's nurturing in her womb. But above all, fear for how Natsume will react. Again._

"_I'll call him now," Ruca announced as he went out the door and left Mikan in. He knows Mikan wouldn't let him call Natsume, so he dialed his phone as fast as he could while holding the doorknob outside the door. "He ought to know," he whispered to himself. He felt Mikan's attempt on opening the door, so he held to the knob tighter. He feels like they're little kids again, playing with secrets and stuff. Mikan gave up trying the door. Ruca smirked._

_After a few rings, Natsume finally picked up. "Hello?"_

"_Hi there, Paulo. I have something important to tell you."_

"_What is it?"_

_Ruca pondered. He feels bad about Mikan. "Hmm, I think Mikan should be the one to tell you this. Hold on a sec bud." He turned the doorknob and went inside the room again. Ruca was calling out for her when he got inside "Michelle, you tell—" when he realized, the room's empty._

"_Hello, Jinx? Are you with her?" Natsume asked._

_Ruca wandered a little to look for her. Then, he walked towards the hospital bed when he saw something lying on it. He picked up a piece of the hospital's stationary with Mikan's handwriting scribbled on it. It read:_

_Don't say a word to him and to anyone, please._

_And on the lower right corner of the paper was her crest: a small glowing image of a golden butterfly's silhouette. As he finished reading its message through his mind, the paper turned into golden dust and vanished right at his fingertips._

"_Mikan…" Ruca whispered as he held his hand into his forhead._

"_Ruca, where is she?" Natsume asked again, sensing that something's not right._

_Ruca gulped and closed his eyes as he answered his best friend back. "She vanished."_

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**Author's Note:**

**Thank you for reading!**

So here it is—your much awaited Ruca's side story. The reason of Mikan's doubt about him. :D

So, is it good? Or lousy? **Reviews will be much appreciated****!**

**And also, please vote whichever you prefer more:**

Should Mikan _erase/nullify_ all the alices forever to promote equality among everyone now and to attain some _normal_ life?

OR

Should they restore their powers and just govern over the world with more efficacies?

**I'm having a hard time deciding on how I'll end my story, so please, HELP ME WITH THIS! TY so much! :]  
**


	15. Mission 14

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Alice Academy.

**:...:**

**:…:**

**Mission Part 14**

**:…..:**

**:…:**

Our black cat's mind went blank for a moment. Then it flickered back to life, bombarded with so many questions and other things. Actually, it craved for more information. With all that's been said by Ruca, he still can't grasp the story.

_What?_

_What the hell was that story?_

_When?_

_When again did that happen? That day? _He actually recalls that day. _The moment that I was actually talking to Ruca at the other end of a phone line?_

_Why?_

_Why hasn't anyone told me this before?_

_How? _

_How could everybody keep something this big from him?_

_Really?_

_Hey, maybe I just imagined Ruca carefully tailoring this story._

_Her?_

_Mikan, mi amor? She's the one who actually wanted to keep these from me?_

_You…?_

_My very own best friend… was a part of this grand scheme to hide a child from me?_

_My very own child…_

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Natsume was shocked. Well, that was an understatement. Surprise, fury and sorrow overwhelmed him.

The moment Ruca stopped talking, no one ventured to break the silence. Natsume paid attention to every word the whole time with his eyes closed; a precaution that he took for the sake of his best friend. He wouldn't want to be held responsible for whatever he might do to him if he loses his cool. After hearing it all, he understood how criminals can go from good to evil. It is very _logical_ for him as of the moment. He thinks he can feel whatever demon has crept into every felonious mind to ever walk this planet crawling in his own brain now—he has never felt so ill towards any person in his lifetime with this much of intensity.

And he never thought he'd feel it towards his own closest comrade.

Natsume slowly opened his eyes, trying not to look at our poor story teller. He looked at his wife. Mikan's eyes were blank, apparent that she recalls whatever Ruca had just said. He kind of expected her to cry—she always does. But now, she doesn't. _Brave_, he thought. Or maybe, _maybe because there's nothing to cry for_. She knew that story long ago. It was just that she _forgot_. But for Natsume, well, such a story never even brushed his imagination.

Being an Alice, he thought he'd seen much more drama and weird and ridiculous and almost impossible things that are _real_ than any other man ever did. He even despises movies for trying to replicate or generate fantasies and/or fallacies about a human's life. But this—his own family's story!—might just be the greatest shock the world has ever thrown at him. _Right on the face._

Tsubasa and Narumi showed no change of emotion. _At all_. He figured both of them knew this, too, all along. There's no doubt Mikan ran to both of them the moment she concealed this story from her own husband. Well, Narumi didn't try to hide, but Tsubasa's excellent timing when he went missing, too, couldn't agree more with the conclusion that she's been with Mikan with this.

Then, slowly, he tried to gaze at Ruca.

Ruca flinched. He tried to gage Natsume's reaction. Afraid as he is, he still mustered the courage to look right into his blood-red eyes. And when he did, he almost wished he hadn't. He saw so many things he wasn't even sure if he was looking at someone's eyes. It could have been a whole book, with all those over pouring strong words and emotions melted into a soft glimmer from his orbs.

_Agony…_

…_for the fact that he never knew any of these realities._

…_for knowing that he's technically become a father, but haven't played that role for the poor child._

_Sadness…_

…_for living in the past three years without a single clue that a child of his own is had crawled and walked his way on the same planet that he walks on._

…_for realizing that he was never beside his wife when she needed him most. And not being able to be there—ever—for a child that he himself gave life to._

_Betrayal…_

…_for finally knowing such things happened behind his back._

"_How could you?"_ Natsume mimed to Ruca, trying not to let his voice escape his mouth. He fears if it does, it might go off hard and pierce Ruca's every nerve and go straight towards his loud thumping heart and stab it _hard_.

"I didn't have a choice," was his pleading response. "She asked me to. And for the record, I didn't lie to you, Natsume. I just… _kept _things from you." He felt a sting of regret and guilt as he answered Natsume back, but ruthless as it seems, he knew he did the right thing. Mikan could've not asked him anything that wasn't for anyone's good. And that's what he's been trying to figure all along. He knew Natsume would've reacted differently to a child if it was really there—flesh and bone—and he knew that Mikan's also aware of that. It wasn't her hiding that robbed him countless sleepless nights; it was her deeper reason—the one that he knows nothing of—behind on why she hid that bothered him.

Mikan looked up to them when she heard Ruca answer a silent inquiry that's been passed between them. She's also muddled with too many questions of her own, but somehow, things are making sense to her now. The pieces she'd heard _fits_. It clicked on her mind, assuring herself that they were true, though technically, it's her first time knowing all of these again. "Ruca's right, Natsume. I pleaded for his cooperation," she defended.

"You knew where she was the whole time?" Natsume claimed.

"No," Ruca defended. "I never once knew where she stayed at or went at. She never wanted to be found, you know that!"

Mikan was silent. That much is true. She knew everyone who tried to track her down, and that made her hiding a bit harder that she originally thought or planned it would turn out.

"So that's why…" Natsume said softly, after helplessly trying to organize his thoughts. "That's why you sounded _ecstatic_ when you phoned me that day. It wasn't that '_Mikan went missing_' news you planned to tell me—it was the _baby_."

Ruca affirmed with a nod.

Natsume can actually feel his hands trembling with… _what? Resentment? Grief?_ He's not quite sure himself. "I won't lie that I suspected something was off with you that day, Ruca. But… I shoved my doubts off of you as quickly as I felt them… because _I trust you_. And I never thought you _could_ hide whatever from me…

"But—but why? _Why'd you hide?_" he asked Mikan now, but it was more of an accusing tone. "I could've handled that news well at that time… why did you—_both of you_—assume that I wouldn't understand?" His voice is almost breaking, just like his very own heart.

"Because I know you wouldn't," was her simple reply.

"You don't know that!" he opposed, with more force than he intended to display. "I… I realized so many things when I was away at that time. I—I thought of us… your wish to start a family… and my fear for an innocent's life being corrupted by the powers we never asked for… and I…"—Natsume paused as he tried to look for the most fitting word to describe his feelings—"I knew… or rather, I _realized _that you were right_._ And I was a coward for not accepting the fact that one's life lies on his decisions, and not on what he was born into."

Mikan was taken aback with what she just heard. She never heard Natsume say so much before—not before her amnesia, anyway. She felt her own heart flutter with happiness, as if Natsume had just confessed his love for her the first time again. But this time, he also expressed an extraordinary display of affection for a soul that he hasn't even met before—their child. A tear escaped from her right eye; a sign of genuine blissfulness.

Mikan felt that it's the right time to explain for herself; to save Ruca from all the blame, too. She previously explained these to her brother and father, so she'll tell this at the moment for Natsume's sake. "I figured it's the right thing to do—hiding," she started. "I mean, come on. I face an awful lot of death threats like every single day. What do you think will happen if the whole world knew that I'm carrying a baby?" _They'll anticipate for it, like hungry vultures, _she answered herself in her head. "With that and, uhm, Natsume's issues about the child… I decided to take things to myself."

Natsume felt so hollow. It is as if he's the woman who gave birth to a child and yet, he never saw or even laid a glimpse on what he has brought into this world. Mikan's decision was logical, but still kind of _selfish_. She's always like that, trying to take care of things on her own, thinking that it's the best for everyone involved. But sometimes, she doesn't recognize that it's her way that hurts the people that she initially wanted to protect.

It may be the best option at that time, but Mikan failed to think that it may kill his husband if he knew. And now, _it had._

Natsume stood up and walked towards Mikan for an embrace. He held her close into a tight hug as he buried his head on her right shoulder and whispered to her. "I'm so sorry, Mikan. I was naïve. I shouldn't have gotten mad when you first told me that we've started a family. It's just… well, you know me better than any other person in this world. I'm sorry… I just don't know if I could shelter such a fragile creature from all the pain our realm inflicts. I… _I don't know how to be a father._" He tried to hold back his tears. He mustn't show any sign of weakness—not now. It is Mikan who suffered a lot and has gone to great lengths with his feelings in mind. He never knew a woman could be so strong and jam-packed with will, just so she could not hurt his partner and to look after a child all on her own.

"Natsume, no one does," Mikan soothed him as he patted his back for comfort. "That's the funny thing about it; no one can teach you how to be a parent but _your own child_." She broke their warm embrace and smiled knowingly at him. "It's a learning process."

Natsume took this comfort and eased a little. He looked up to his best friend and gave him a forgiving smile. "You may have confessed, but you are so not off the hook." he warned. _I still wanna punch you. No, scratch that—I wanna burn you. I wish I have my alice back. _"I'll have that incident investigated, and I'll hold you responsible for every moment that passed that I have not spent with my wife and my… child." _But still, thank you. For… having supported my wife and seeing her logic when I failed to look at it myself._

Mikan lightly punched her husband's chest, as if scolding him for threatening the man who helped her. "Don't say that," she warned. Then, she turned to Jinx. "I've got your back, Ruca," she assured him with playful a wink.

"So… where is… uhm, my child?" Natsume asked to no one in particular, tense. He's not sure on how to address this unknown child.

"_Houston…_" Mikan supplied.

"Where in Houston?"

Tsubasa smiled, Narumi let out a muffled laugh and Mikan chuckled a little. Natsume just stared at them. He felt kind of stupid—he reckoned he said something wrong.

"No, no. He _is_ Houston," his wife answered coolly, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I named him Houston."

_Oh._ Well that explains a lot of things. Mikan have always muttered _Houston_ or seems like is always worried about _Houston_. He has always thought, _What the hell is in Houston?_ He never figured it could be _somebody_.

Beyond Mikan's amnesia, she still remembered their child's name. Too bad she didn't know herself it was a child at the time.

Natsume smiled at himself and to his lovely wife. _Genius._ He knew what inspired his child's name—their second honeymoon place.

Mikan grinned at him, too, sensing that he realized the name's significance. It's where they made him.

He pulled his wife closer again to plant a kiss on her forehead. "Who could've known? You enjoyed our honeymoon much you actually named him _that_?"

"I enjoyed the _place_ much," Mikan answered, embarrassed. "You don't like it? _Houston_ as a name?"

"No. I love it." _The name itself holds a lot of memories. Kind of makes-up for whatever I missed in his life._

Mikan was relieved. And glad. She never wanted anything more than for her child and its father to meet. "But I haven't given him a _real_ name," she let him know. "I want it to be the both of _us_ to really name him."

"Of course," Natsume replied. _Naming him. Sound like really owning him. _He smiled again to himself, feeling a surge of pride. _I really am a father. _"So, now, where's my baby?"

At this, Mikan turned to Tsubasa and eyed him, as if asking the same thing.

The answer he provided just shattered the atmosphere.

Tsubasa stared back at them with a puzzled look. "Hey… Haven't I mentioned?" he started as he treaded for the right words to break this news to the couple. "He wasn't in my care anymore."

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**Author's Note:**

**Thank you for reading!**

Thank you, too, for those wonderful comments and insightful reviews that a few generous readers have given me. It's good to know that you even bother to read my work, but it gives me greater joy by giving me another moment or two to create such suggestions and criticisms. :)

And a big hug goes to each of those who listed my story for alerts and as their favorite!

So, is it good? Or lousy? **Reviews will be much appreciated****!**

**PS: **Add me on _**FACEBOOK!**_

Search for me: _Elle Write (Psychelle)_

(It's my author account)

Or go to my FF profile and hit my _Homepage _for a direct link. :)

Hope to meet a lot of other FF Authors and enthusiasts there!


	16. Mission 15

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Alice Academy.

* * *

**:...:**

**:…:**

**Mission Part 15**

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**:…:**

_How much more can I lose?_

_I stand here, finally being where I really belong: my husband's arms. I'm alive and well. I'm gradually getting my lost memories one piece at a time. I've come back to my love and my friends now. But my child, where is he? I can almost hear a song playing as a background music for this moment in my life:  
_

_Well life has a funny way of sneaking up on you  
When you think everything's okay and everything's going right_

_Life__—_how much more can it be harder? What have I done to deserve this?

_Is this the price for getting back to them?_

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_How much more can I lose?_

_I stand here, finally holding the most significant person in my life: my long lost wife. I've finally got her back, flesh and bone. We may have had some rough time before she vanished, but all are in the past now. I grew more when she's gone and realized that the pain that we get from quarreling is much more bearable than the pain that we'll experience if we ever try to go on separate ways. We'll never be perfect, but I'd rather have her—rain or shine—than to never have her again, at all._

_But now that I know that we've crafted another being into this world—a child who's ours to share—made me fall in love with her all over again. She's the mother of my child. A child that I've never even laid eyes on, but I now love more than my own life and as much as I love his mother._

_Where is my child? Nobody seems to know. Damn. I'm dying to see him, touch him, and finally present myself to him as his father._

_Is this the price of getting back my love—losing another piece of me?_

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_

"What?" Mikan blurted out.

Natsume was astounded, too. He cannot grasp this. One moment he had his spirits up and the next second, Tsubasa just stepped on that little bubble of happiness he had just created.

Narumi, who maybe is the only person who can still get a hold of himself, answered for the nervous Will. "He knew that whoever was after you Mikan were tailing his back, too. A few days back, he asked me to take Houston to take as a precaution, but I, too, was being spied on. We resolved into giving Houston to somebody else to keep him safe for the time being while we worked on getting into you."

Mikan untangled herself from Natsume's embrace and faced Tsubasa and Narumi—very much like a lioness who's looking for her cub is—fiercely. "But why? I gave him _to you!_" she asked, frustrated and concerned at the same time. But she needs no respond for this; she knows it herself. If she were in their shoes, she would've done pretty much the same thing rather than taking chances on keeping the child with a greater risk of getting him hurt.

Natsume walked to Mikan and stroked her back, trying to calm her down and also himself. He stared at Will for a while and he sighed. "And to whom did you entrust him?" he asked.

"To my most trusted person in this world—my fiancée," he replied confidently. "You don't need to worry. Misaki can protect her. She's living off the grid, too."

That didn't make Mikan ease a single muscle in her body. Instead, she glared at her brother with a _how-can-you-ask-me-not-to-worry_ look. On the other hand, Ruca used a computer nearby to search for something after he heard Tsubasa. He scanned for the Alice's files to check for Misaki's status.

"So, where are they?" Natsume asked again.

"The last time I talked to her—which was before I almost got killed—they're somewhere in the north of this country," Tsubasa responded. "She tried to get him off their radar as far as she could, so they move a lot—almost every other day."

"You don't have her residence as of the moment?" he asked again.

Tsubasa shook his head. "But I promised to pick Houston which was due yesterday, but I haven't got the chance to do so because of Ashley's interfering."

"I'll call her," Narumi spoke. "She's still within our reach through her secured mobile phone." He reached at his left pocket for his phone and dialed. After a few rings, an answering machine beeped responded.

_*beep* Hi. This is Misaki. I know you're an ally since you know my secured phone line. Well, I've tried to reach anyone of you but to no avail. Things became pretty tight in here so I've decided to flee for our own safety. Don't worry, I still have him and we're okay. Come to us when you can. We're going home. *beep*_

Narumi blinked with disbelief. He was shocked and his heart might have jumped out of his chest because of what he just heard. He put his phone into loudspeaker mode and re-played Misaki's answering machine message for everyone to hear.

"Where's her house?" Mikan asked, panicking.

"That _is_ her house number. That means she's not there," Tsubasa informed her, just as shaken as she is.

"Then where the hell are they? She said they're home!"

Natsume, who's been thinking hard, too, interjected. "She said they _flee _and _we're going home—_wherever her _home_ is, it's not her residence where we phoned her."

Mikan felt weak again. _What now?_ she asked herself, desperate for answers. Her brother entrusted her child to his fiancée, and now, she's missing, too, together with her child. A tear escaped her eyes as she started to cry her heart out. _Can anything get worse than this? Where is my child?_ she wants to scream, but she lacks the energy to do so. It's like as if someone had just punched a hole right through her chest, and she can feel that her heart is dying slowly with the pain.

"Guys, you wouldn't believe this," Ruca called out to everyone as he was eyeing something on the computer screen that he's working on.

Then, he handed Natsume a printed copy of the report he stumbled upon on their database about Misaki's whereabouts. "This photo,"—Jinx said as he handed Mikan a copy of a grainy and blurry CCTV screenshot of a woman carrying a small child in her hip—"is the last trace of Misaki here on the US."

"They went out of the country?" Mikan asked, mortified.

"Well, apparently, yes. She used a passport under the name Jenny Morgan and Henry Morgan for Houston."

"So, where did they go?" Tsubasa interposed, seemingly getting impatient.

Ruca did not answer and looked at each and every one of them, trying to make them think for themselves.

Then it dawned to them.

Mikan reached for her mouth as she gasped at her realization.

_Home._

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_How much more shall I wait?_

_I haven't seen my mommy in weeks, but she said she'll come back to me. She just needs to do some things and stuff, which is pretty normal. But this is the first time I ever got away from her for so long. Did she abandon me?_

_No. I know she can't. She never even let me outside a one meter radius around her when we're together. She loves me that much, and I love her twice. Maybe she's just really busy. I shall be patient._

_And she promised daddy will come for us. When will that be, I wonder? I'd like to see if what Aunt Missy's saying is true: that I look just like him. Except for my eyes. They all say that I've got mommy's eyes. Somewhat hazel brown with a tinge of honey ochre. I like it this way. It reminds me of mommy's soft gaze at me._

_Uncle Will, too. I miss him. He's the one who passed me to Aunt Missy—he's a busy person, too. He promised he'll pick me up from Auntie in a few days, but he didn't. It's not that I don't like Aunt Missy. I love her. I just miss them and it is lonely here with only Aunt Missy. I wish Grandpa John's here, too._

_It's quite nice here, in Japan. Aunt Missy and I flew here a few days back. She said we all came from here, but I never remember ever being here. I grew up in… well, everywhere. We, me and mommy, are always moving. One day I'm packing my bags and we'll settle in a new place. Then the next day, I'll be packing again to move. I don't know why we do this, but it is fun. I get the chance to see so many places but know just a few people. From all the places I've been, I don't remember Tokyo. Maybe, I haven't been in here. But I like it here. I hope I can persuade mommy to live here._

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* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Thank you for reading!**

I am sooooo sorry for the LATE and SHORT update. Really, I can't get this to be more than 2k words. SORRY IF I FAILED YOU!

But then again, a big hug goes to those who listed my story for alerts and as their favorite.

So, is it good? Or lousy? **Reviews will be much appreciated****!**

**CREDITS:**

An excerpt from the song _Ironic_ by Alanis Morisette. I do not own that song and lyrics. Credits goes to its rightful owners.

**PS: **Add me on _**FACEBOOK!**_

Search for me: _Elle Write (Psychelle)_

Hope to meet a lot of other FF Authors and enthusiasts there!


	17. Misssion 16

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Alice Academy.

**:...:**

**:…:**

**Mission Part 16**

**:…..:**

**:…:**

_I am walking in the sky through the clouds._

_I walk. I run. I jump. I fly. But I never fall down. I'll always stumble back to the clouds—fluffy and white._

_And then, I grew hungry. With nothing but clouds around me, I tried to take some and taste it. It's so soft. Sweet, but not too much. There's a subtle after taste that tickles my taste buds after it melts—a taste I've never experience before. Heavenly._

Then, I woke up.

I stirred and instinctively reached on the other side of the bed for mommy. After about ten seconds of flailing my blanket, I realized again that she's not with me. _Sigh_. I miss her. I need her. I'm starting to hate her for leaving me.

I got out of bed and walked out of my room with Mr. Bear-chan. It's the only toy that I get to keep whenever we move, so it's the only thing that I've shared with mommy when we were still living together. _Ah_, and here's her ring, too. Dangling in my neck as a pendant to a simple silver chain. She said I get to keep it for being a good boy. It gets heavier every day for me. I miss her badly.

"Good morning, Henry," Aunt Missy smiled at me as I entered the kitchen and sat on one of the chairs. "What would you like to have for breakfast?" she asked.

"Mommy." _Can you bring her to me?_

I saw Aunt's eyes flicker with my bluntness. Well, she asked me and I just answered. "I'm afraid I can't offer her to you today," she said in a sad tone. "You see, she's still busy with something. I miss her, too, Henry. But let's be patient and pray for their safety. That way they'll be with us again in no time."

"When?" I asked her.

She bit her lower lip as she thought of something to tell me. "I'm not sure. But wouldn't it be nice if she knew that you are okay in here and being well-fed?" she chimed as she tried to change the subject. I just stared at her.

I could've cried there, but mommy asked me to be strong and to be a big boy. I'll be just what she asked me to be until she misses me and goes back to get me.

In the end, Aunt Missy gave me pancakes. She offered me some butter and maple syrup with it and a glass of milk. I poked and forked the fluffy thing and took a bite. Then, I remembered my dream earlier. "Can you eat the clouds?" I asked Auntie.

She seemed surprised at my question and laughed. "The last time I checked, I can't even reach them—let alone eat them," she answered, looking amused. "Why'd you ask?"

"But I saw them real close when I'm in a plane. Maybe we can get some."

She giggled at me. "You wanna _eat_ clouds?"

I nodded. "I ate some in my dreams. They taste good," I let her know. I think she hasn't tried one. "I bet mommy would like them, too. She loves sweets."

Auntie smiled as though she remember mommy loving sweets, too. "That just reminds me—you can eat clouds. There's a special store that sells them here. Your mom used to indulge so much of it," she said as she smiled from ear to ear. "Wanna buy some?"

My eyes lightened up. Climbed down my seat and nodded furiously.

"Okay then," Aunt said. "Why don't we wash ourselves first then we'll head to that store," she suggested with a smile.

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As Natsume and Mikan stood beside the conveyer belt that should bring them their luggage any minute, Mikan tapped impatiently with her right foot. Ruca and Hotaru stood nearby, also waiting for their things while Tsubasa and Narumi headed out of the airport ahead of everyone to arrange their transportation.

The tapping noise and the humming machinery's noise are getting on Natsume's nerve. "Will you stop that, _mi vida_? I'm jetlagged and your tapping's making my headache worse."

Mikan sighed and asked, "Has anyone reached Misaki?"

Natsume looked at Ruca. He sighed and shook his head in response.

"So where would be going if we don't even know where they are?"

Hotaru took a step towards her best friend and squeezed her arm. "We're working on it, Mikan. On the meantime, we'll stay in a hotel to avoid getting attention. You can't go back to your house yet," she let her and Natsume know. "It's quite a risk."

Natsume nodded in agreement. "Narumi and Tsubasa's working on that."

Mikan let her head hung low and closed her eyes as she contemplated these. _Sigh. I'm back home, but I'm incomplete—hollow. Houston, where are you?_

She felt her husband's arms wrap around her. She looked at him and smiled weakly. At least he's here—back in her life—and keeping her intact.

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Everyone's inside a van now—rented by Narumi—and is now heading to a hotel when they've made a reservation. Mikan asked for the windows be down, wanting to feel her homeland's air. It's humid and quite hot at this time of the year, but they didn't mind. There's that crisp and tangy feeling that they can only feel on Japan's air. _Home._

It's about getting to midday now, and the sun's scorching hot above them. They've been driving for more than half an hour now, and they're stuck on traffic. The van has been idling for more than fifteen minutes now in front of a local park, and Mikan has been too caught of the playing kids in there. Then, she suddenly had the urge to go there.

Mikan tapped Narumi's shoulder from behind him. "Can we make a stop here in the park?"

His father smirked. "Aren't we already _not_ moving?"

Mikan let out a small laugh at his sarcastic answer. "No, I mean, can we stay a while?"

That caught everyone's attention. "Why?" Natsume asked.

She shrugged, unsure of the reasons herself. "I just felt like it. You know, I haven't been here in a long time. I want to, uhm, _chill_ a little. See things," she replied.

Natsume eyed her doubtfully. "Chill, huh."

"I think it's not a good idea. We haven't even announced that you're back from your hiding—if someone sees and recognizes you here, it might cause to draw some attention," Ruca interrupted.

Hotaru rolled her eyes at her fiancée. "She's still Japanese. She'll blend with the people well."

"Not to mention, she owns the most recognizable Japanese face in the world. She's still our missing _Alice Goddess_, for crying out loud!" Ruca defended.

"Oh no one's gonna eat her. Besides, there's too many of us here. We can protect her, and she can protect herself."

Tsubasa laughed beside Narumi. "Well, all of our faces are well-known. We can't hide from these people."

Mikan raised her eyebrow. "And was that supposed to mean Nii-chan? Are you tying me to this van or are you helping me win this battle to be able to stroll on the park?"

Tsubasa turned his head to all of them. "I say we hit the park. I've been bored, too, from all of these hiding."

And with that, Mikan grinned as Narumi swerved towards the park's parking area.

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"So that's why you want us to make a stop," Natsume smirked as he was being dragged to make their way towards the howaloon shop.

"No, silly. I didn't even know there is one in here!" Mikan defended.

Natsume raised an eyebrow and gave her a _you-really-think-I'd-believe-that_ look.

"Oh come on!" Mikan pleaded. "How many years it has been? More than a decade?" she said after thinking a while. "We have a constant supply of howaloons back then! How should I know where to buy them?"

Natsume just smiled at his wife. _Good old times_. He just wished he's got his son right now to share this beautiful memory with.

But he's not there. He internally sighed with this and let himself be happy for the time being—though he's _incomplete_ inside.

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"'VEEVERTASTEDAUNTIE!" Houston beamed with his first bite of a howaloon. "iT'SMORETHANWHATIDREAMEDEARLIER! IWANTMORE!"

"Woah, easy boy! Glad you liked it," Misaki smiled as she placed a boxful on his lap. "It's all yours," she offered. _I knew you'll like it. Your mom loves that,_ she thought.

"Aren't you eating any, aunty?" he asked.

Misaki shook her head. "I'm not very inclined to sweets, thanks," she said as she pinched his cute little cheecks.

Houston was more than happy to have this whole box of heavenly treat to himself. He indulged more of it.

"Easy, boy," Misaki giggled at her nephew. "I need to buy you a drink, so you won't choke there. Wanna come?"

Houston looked up at her, then to his howaloon stained hands, then back at her.

"Okay, I'll just go over the vending machine there. Be still here, okay?"

He nodded. Then, Misaki ran towards the nearest vendo. He eyed her while treating himself to another piece of howaloon.

Turns out that that vending machine only accepts coins and Misaki only have bills on hand. _Damn. Great._ She waved at Houston and motioned that she'll go to some other vending machines to try. Houston nodded. Misaki bit her lip and deliberated on whether she can leave him like that. _You going to be okay? _she mouthed to him. He gave her a thumb's up with a messy grin. She smiled back and ran off.

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"I guess you'll want a drink with that?" Natsume asked Mikan as he eyed her busy wife munching her fifth howaloon.

Mikan smiled. "Yes, please," she said teasingly.

Natsume got up and walked around to find a beverage kiosk or something. He knows Mikan'll be safe. The others are just around them, securing a few meter radius around the two of them, specially her—to be able to walk freely in this park.

Natsume saw a vending machine nearby and walked to it. He shoved a couple of coins there and got a coke and an orange soda for Mikan. Then, he turned around and walked back.

But something caught his attention—something _blinding_. A light from a reflective surface.

He got irritated at first for it seemed to him that someone's fooling around and is intentionally focusing that reflection towards his eyes. His eyes followed where it came from.

There, he saw a little boy with deep, ebony hair that seems to play with something in his hands. He's sitting on a park bench alone. Natsume walked towards him, slightly gripping his two canned drinks because of his irritation.

But as he got closer with every step, he seemed puzzled by just looking at the boy. Just like Mikan, this boy is quietly enjoying his howaloons while fidgeting with a ring in his necklace. This is what reflected towards him. He was about to say something to him, but he recognized the ring that this child is wearing.

_Mikan's ring. Our wedding ring._

He doesn't need to look at his ring to confirm this. Whatever he's wearing in his neck right now bears the same intricate design that this child holds.

Then it hit him—he might as well be looking at his _young self_. The hair, his bored expression (but with a hint of joy because of the howaloon, he guessed). He gaped as he marveled the child in front of him. It really is like him. _A mini Natsume_.

Unconsciously, Natsume dropped the two cans that he's holding, but he doesn't care about them now. What's in front of him is just too much, he can't make any sense out of it. _He... he looks like... me..._

Then, the child looked at him-surprised because of the cans that Natsume dropped.

..._with Mikan's hazel eyes...?_

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I was just sitting here, minding myself, my howaloons and mommy's ring when a man walked up to me. I did not dare look at his direction—a precaution that mommy told me back then. She said I must conceal my cute little face as much as possible because people might eye and love my face so much they'll kidnap me.

So I clutched mommy's ring tighter and whispered to it. "_Looks like someone is at awe at my cuteness again, mom! Help me…"_

Then, whatever the man holds, he dropped them—the sound startled me that I looked at him straight with panic. The coke fizzled out of the can with the impact. The other can just rolled up somewhere.

At first I couldn't see him, because the sun is behind him and it kind of blinded me. But I let my eyes adjust so I can make out of his face better. _Weird. _We have the same kind of hair. _But, cool—_I thought.

He seemed to scrutinize me, too. At this point, I _should_ be running away from this guy. He's been in front of me too long and I don't know him. _Stranger danger_ my mind says, but I can't feel any _repulse_ to this man. And he looked _cool_. I liked that.

Then, while not letting my eyes lose contact of his, he kneeled on one knee in front of me to get a better look at me. His mouth is slightly hung open. _Funny, _I thought. Then I saw his eyes' color—red. That gave me chills, but not the scary way. It kind of seemed _familiar…_

Then finally, Aunt Missy showed up behind this man.

Her mouth hung-open, too, as she walked passed him to see his face. "_Natsume?"_

The man looked up at Auntie, then back at me. "_Is he…?"_

Aunt Missy threw her arms around him. _Oh, _they know each other. _Natsume…? I think I've heard this man's name before…_

"Oh my!" Aunt Missy squealed with delight as they broke their embrace and the man stood up. "Where's Mikan? Tsubasa? The others?"

Mommy's name caught my attention. And before the man could answer Auntie, I interrupted. "Mommy's _here_?"

And with that, the man looked at me again like he's heard something crazy.

Aunt Missy smiled at me as she wiped my hands and mouth from the howaloons' stains. "And your daddy, too," she announced as she touched the man's arm in what looked to me as an introductory way.

_Oh. Daddy._

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**Author's Note:**

**Thank you for reading!**

Yeah, I know. It's a late update again. SORRY!

But then again, a big hug goes to those who listed my story for alerts and as their favorite.

So, is it good? Or lousy? **Reviews will be much appreciated****!**

**LAST CHAPTER: UP NEXT! :]**


	18. Mission Accomplished

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Alice Academy.

**:...:**

**:…:**

**Mission Part 17**

**:…..:**

**:…:**

"Hey! Misaki's here! _And…_" Hotaru shouted at Mikan and the others.

"Misaki?" Tsubasa yelled. "And _Natsume_?"

Natsume waved a little with his right hand as he was holding hands with a little boy on his left.

Then, everything stopped. Mikan just stood where she is—afraid to move an inch as if moving a muscle would blur this dream-like scene she's witnessing.

"…and you know _him?_" Tsubasa asked Natsume, pertaining to his nephew.

"_Woah!_" Ruca exclaimed as he saw _who_ Misaki and Natsume's with.

"Wait, what happened?" Hotaru piped in.

"So, this is _him_? Woah, look at the resemblance. One cannot deny this is Natsume's son!" Ruca exclaimed again.

Mikan flinched at Ruca's remark. _Natsume's son. Her son_. Finally in here, right before her.

"Houston!" Narumi called out.

The little boy smiled at him widely as he just eyed Ruca and Hotaru.

"_Oh_, Misaki!" Tsubasa said as he neared his fiancé and hugged her. "Thank you. _So much_," he whispered as he kissed Misaki's head. She filled them in with on how Natsume and Houston met while she was away for a little while.

"Some fate, huh," Ruca commented. "Who would've known? There were too many parks in the city, and Mikan just _wanted_ to go here on the same day Misaki dared to bring the boy outside for the first time in this country."

Hotaru smiled, holding Ruca's arms tighter. "_Motherly instincts_," she whispered as she gazed to her best friend.

Then, Mikan broke down. "Baby! Oh, my boy! _My baby_!" she cried—literally—as she lowered herself to kneel and readied her arms to hug her son as it ran into her, obviously missing her as much as she missed him.

"Where'd you see _him_?" she asked while she kissed and kissed her baby with pure joy.

"You weren't listening. He just caught my attention," Natsume responded, wearing a goofy smile on his face as he kneeled near Mikan and Houston—undeniably in a happy-daddy-state.

"Mommy, he's daddy! He's here! See?" he asked, excited and cheerful, as if he's presenting a rare piece of stone to a jeweler. "Daddy!"

"Yes, baby. _Yes_," she confirmed while nodding furiously and weeping. "_Daddy._"

Houston smiled with it and broke free of Mikan's embrace to transfer to Natsume's body and clinged there. Natsume—quite surprised at first—smiled and hugged his son back. Tightly. _Thank God. Thank you. I'm complete now._

Full of happiness and bliss, Mikan cried more with relief and delight to witness this scene in front of her.

_Her son, Houston. Alive, safe and well. Happy, even._

_On the arms of her husband, Natsume._

Both are smiling, clutching at each other dearly. A scene she dreaded that might never happen is now happening. Real.

And she could not ask for more.

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Mikan paces back and forth the room, seemingly tense. She's been clutching her hands together, gripping something invisible as she looks up the intricately designed ceiling of the holding room that they're in, and mumbling things to herself.

Natsume smirked and so did Houston. "Daddy, mommy might _faint_," the little boy said with a giggle. Natsume then stroked his son's hair and laughed with him. "No, mommy's better than that."

"Oh, baby! I told you not to play with your tie," Mikan reminded Houston as she saw that the boy had successfully untied it._ Again_. She walked towards him and tried to put it on. _Again_.

"I want some howaloons _now_," he announced.

"We'll get you a box of that, sweetie," Mikan assured him. "The minute this whole thing's over."

"But I want them _now_!"

Mikan sighed and looked at her husband. Her face screamed _Help me, will you?_ Natsume smirked again and faced Houston. "Hey, we'll have that later, okay? As of now, let's just see how mommy does in front of the world's press. You wouldn't want to miss it, would you?"

Mikan spanked Natsume's arm softly as she smiled weakly. "You're not helping me. My nerves are dying here! You know how I hate public speaking."

"Oh, so do you want me to take over these proceedings?" Natsume asked teasingly.

"Only if you'd swear you wouldn't burn a reporter if his questions hit your nerve."

Natsume pretended to consider this. "Hmmmm… nope. I can't promise you that. Yeah, you should do all the talking."

"I know."

"What about me? Can I use my alice out there, mommy?" Houston interjected.

"Oh, no, honey! Remember, we're gonna tell them that you don't have those powers…"

"And you actually _believe_ that the world's gonna buy that? That the son of _two_ Alice Deities isn't an Alice?" Natsume interrupted with an audible whisper.

Mikan raised her eyebrow to her husband—as if to warn him to shut up—and continued on to talking to her son. "…_because_ you're so special that you're just ordinary. Let's leave the magic at home, shall we, my love?"

Houston got more confused. "How come being ordinary _is_ special?"

"_Just because_. Look, dear, just trust mom, okay? Someday you'll understand why we have to keep these little secrets that we have."

Then, he gasped. "Does this count as _lying_?"

Mikan's eyes widened as Natsume let out a laugh. "Wow, son, you're smart!"

Then again, Mikan hit Natsume and searched for the right words to make her innocent little boy understand things. "No… well, maybe a little," she started. "But it's not a bad lie. More like we're just being undercover, for your own safety, love." Houston seemed to accept that.

"So, we're spies?"

_Sigh_. "Yes, Houston. We're spies," Mikan answered, just to satisfy her son's inquiry.

And the boy was thrilled. "_Awesome!_"

Just then, Hotaru knocked on the door and peeked into the room. "We're starting. You ready?" she asked Mikan.

Mikan looked at her husband and squeezed Houston's hand softly. "Yes, we're ready," she replied and sucked in a mouthful of air. _Well… here goes nothing…_

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"And with that, I'd like to announce that the deal between the non-Alice people and us has been considered null and void due to the circumstances that have threatened my people. You see, it wasn't us—the Alices—that dominates the world. And it wasn't just us that was dangerous to all," Mikan said firmly as she stood in front of a room filled with media men—cameras and microphones all over the place al pointed at her—as she holds the entire world's media attention as of the very moment. "Even you, without powers like us, are a threat to everyone. So, I am restoring every Alice's powers fully right after the Supreme Alice Deities have settled to new provisions and laws that would consider every population of this world—may it be Alices and non-Alices. And of course, our laws would have to conform to yours, so it would be fair for all."

The whole room exploded with questions and other commotions. Cameras keep on flashing here and there, almost blinding to Mikan's eyes. But this is what she has to do, now that she's back. _Govern_. And make sure she does it right this time.

"And now, any questions?" Ruca asked over the microphone. He, together with Narumi and Hotaru is with Mikan on stage to help her answer the press.

Everyone—literally—raised their hands to ask. Narumi pointed out one. "Yes, go on."

The man stood up and looked at his notebook as he asked, "Is it true that _Kin-cho_ and the _Kuro-neko_ had a child?"

Narumi looked at Mikan and she nodded to answer the question. "Yes, that is true."

The room exploded again with questions. "_Where's the child?" "Is it a she or a he?" "What Alice does the child possess?"_

"Everyone, please calm down. One at a time, please" Hotaru reminded.

"They're actually here—my child and Natsume" Mikan answered. "Natsume, please," she called out onto them.

Then, Natsume and Houston walked out the door beside the stage, hand-in-hand. Houston seemed to be a little hesitant to walk up to stage to his mommy because of the flashing lights and the commotion that the press's been doing. So Natsume scooped him up and brought him up as he climbed up stage and sat beside Mikan.

"_What's his name?"_ one reporter shouted.

"Houston," Nastume answered coolly, as he smiled at Mikan—remembering the personal memory that they share behind their child's name. She smiled back.

"So, what's Houston's alice?" another one asked.

"He doesn't have any," Mikan immediately responded. This garnered yet again another round of interrogations all over the place.

Hotaru spoke up. "You see, it may be rare for us Alices to bear a non-alice offspring, but it happens. You must know, we have a lot of that in our history."

The people were skeptical. Many are outraged. They were unconvinced and demanded for more details. And in the middle of the noise and uproar, the lights went out. It became pitch dark in the room.

Natsume, alarmed, stood up and gave Houston to Mikan. Ruca and Narumi went to go over Mikan's side to protect her. Hotaru tried to contain the situation.

"I think we're having some technical difficulties over our lighting out here. Everyone, please remain wherever you are and avoid walking around. Somebody might get hurt in this darken—" she announced, as she was suddenly cut-off midsentence because something lit up.

Or better yet, something _ignited_.

There's fire on stage. But it wasn't all over the place. More like, it's _trying_ to light the place. Like a lamp fire. Or a candlelight—only slightly bigger.

This drew everyone's attention. All eyes are now on its source. And apparently, it wasn't Natsume.

As the flames danced and flickered, it gave a little glimpse of its _holder_. It rests on someone's hand. Then, the lights went back on again.

The room was silent. Everyone was awestruck. Everyone saw who's holding the flame.

_Houston_.

Then, the child clutched his tiny fingers onto his palm to extinguish the fire that he's created. A little smoke emerged from it and he innocently blew it away.

Then, he became aware of everyone's eyes on him.

"_Oops_," he whispered to his mommy.

Mikan didn't say a word. Nobody did. They all just stared at him.

Then, one reporter finally broke the silence—apparently talking to the camera pointed at him, streaming live footage of the happenings there: "There you have it, world: it's positive. The boy's an _Alice_."

Ruca slapped his forehead. Hotaru went towards Mikan to hide Houston's face from the cameras. Natsume smirked and just ruffled his boy's hair. Narumi assisted Mikan as she stood up with Houston in her arms.

"Oh, baby!" Mikan exclaimed as they all laughed while descended the stage, being escorted out the room full of hungry press people trying to get over Houston. She couldn't blame his little angel—it's just who he is.

"Way to go, son," Natsume winked at his boy.

One reporter announced loudly: "And we now have our _next_ Alice ruler, Houston!" And it was the last thing Houston has heard before they got out the room full of people trying to get into him.

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**Author's Note:**

**Thank you for reading!**

And an extra thank you for my readers who have been with me 'till now. You've been very patient, and I'm sorry if this is a lame ending for you. But this is just it. :]

I know, I'm such a bad author for concluding this story just now.

But nevertheless, I thank you, from the bottom of my heart, everyone that has read my story!

Psychelle06

_**PS.**_ Yes, it's a cliff-hanger (_sort of_). I'm planning on making a sequel for this, or a related story or something. Let me guys know what you think. Any ideas? :]


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